In the Dark, In my Soul, I do Cry for You
by Kittendragon
Summary: Lucius had a mate. Correction. Two mates. Slash. Please do not read if you do not like slash. If you do, welcome wanderer. I don't own anything Including any lit. or music references. : So please don't sue this poor college student!
1. C'est La Vie

In the Dark, In my Soul, I do Cry for You.

Chapter 1: C'est La Vie

Lucius had a mate.

Correction. Mates.

Plural.

Two of them to be precise….

Not that he knew who they were, he just knew that he had two of them.

It was like an itch on his right cheek, an ache in the bones his left hand. Things he sometimes rubbed at, but could never quite fix. It was something his mates could fix….if he ever found them. But he was fixed on _never_ searching. He would never give into that call to just reach out with his mind and _look_. He had sworn to himself when he married that woman that didn't love him, but could sure as hell hurt him, that he would never get his true mates involved in the mess that was his existence….not matter how much he might need them or crave them.

Few knew that Lucius even had a "true mate"…let alone two….But the Dark Lord did, and had _crucio_'d Lucius for not telling him sooner. As if the two seconds between becoming a death eater and sharing his mind with the Dark Lord had been too long to hold said information. As if Lucius could even think beyond the initiation pain to tell anyone that two plus two equaled four. The only thing Voldemort hadn't done, for which Lucius would forever be grateful, was force him to reach out to them. If he couldn't see them, then no one should.

And so this is how Lucius ended up….Sitting in his study in the evening, thinking about his mates and convincing himself again just _ why_ he could never reach out beyond the passing thought and know who he was meant for.

'It's ok. I'm fine on my own. _It doesn't matter_.'

This had been his daily mantra for years, usually accompanied by a glass of port and a well placed locking and silencing charm on the door…just incase he yelled…which of course he _didn't…_ because a Malfoy doesn't _pine for his mates. Never._

He finished his glass, wiped the _ non-existent­_ tears from his _not-so-flushed _face, and headed for his adjoining bedroom. Once there, he would take a dreamless sleep potion, dress, and then sleep the next meaningless night away. _ It doesn't matter._


	2. Who are You?

Chapter 2: Who are You?

Harry Potter.

Future savior of the Wizarding World.

Five time defeater of Lord Voldemort.

The Boy-Who-Lived.

The Boy-Who-Couldn't-get-his-stupid-worthless-piece-of-crap-trunk-to-shut! Harry huffed as he crouched on top of his trunk in a vain attempt to get the latches closed. It was to be his seventh year at Hogwarts, and Harry was anything but excited.

After Dumbledore's death in sixth year, Harry had sworn to himself and his friends that he would not return to Hogwarts, a place he had once thought of as home. He had wanted to hunt down the remaining Horcruxes, return all of Voldemort's soul to him, and then kill the bastard. It had taken three dreams of Dumbledore pleading with him to return to the school before Harry relented and approached McGonagall on the matter.

The heated discussion that had followed consisted of Harry declaring that he would return, and then demanding that he be allowed free reign to come and go from the school as he pleased. He refused to give up his hunt and felt that if everyone was expecting him to defeat Voldemort, then he should at least be allowed to do it on his own terms. The agreement was finalized, and it was decided that Harry's absences would be blamed on a reoccurring wizard flu that could take its' victims out for days and weeks at a time.

During the summer Harry had been staying at Grimmauld Place. He could no longer stand his relatives, and without Dumbledore specifically telling him to return Harry had decided that he would take his chances without the blood magic of his mother. He had spent hours in the library of the house, and had tried to get his hands on every kind of research about Horcruxes and the founders that he could find. With a summer of complete focus behind him, Harry now felt that he was as well prepared as he would get for the continuation of the hunt. He had also researched defense tactics, and had assigned Hermione to find every curse and counter curse known to wizards. Harry had even asked Ron to start making battle tactics for when the final confrontation came. He felt that with Ron's amazing mind for chess, that the redhead would be perfect for helping to align the ranks.

As Harry put the final touches on his packing, he felt a shift in the wards alerting him to the arrival of another Order member. Today way to be the last time the Order would meet before the beginning of the school year. They would discuss the transportation of the students to Hogwarts, the progress of the aurors in recruiting fellow wizards to the cause,….and Snape's returning roll as spy.

Yes, _Snape_. Harry still felt a great hate for what the man had done at the end of sixth year. After disappearing for a few weeks, Snape had shown up at the Weasley's doorstep and requested an audience with Harry. Ron had immediately hexed Snape, and told him to "bugger off!". Harry had been visiting the Weasleys, and had heard the commotion from the living room. After much yelling, hexing, and demanding Harry had finally agreed to hear Snape out, but only if the man was willing to take a truth serum. Snape had readily agreed.

Snape explained that Dumbledore had made him take an oath to kill the older man and save Draco. The arguing that Hagrid had heard in the woods that night had been Dumbledore telling Snape to take the Oath, and Snape vehemently refusing, and even begging Dumbledore to change his mind. The Weasleys and Lupin, who happened to be visiting Bill to help him with his new wolf side, felt that even if what Snape said was true it still didn't make up for what he had done. Harry had argued it over with them, and finally convinced them to let Snape in and to put him on a type of probation. Snape would be watched.

Everyone had been surprised that Harry had chosen to stand up for Snape, but Harry had reasoned that Snape had taken a truth serum. He also pointed out that Snape had not defended himself against any of the hexes the Weasleys or Lupin had thrown at him, and had even suffered their effects without complaint while answering their questions. They accepted Harry's choice, and healed Snape's wounds.

Harry thought about that day as he descended the stairs and headed to the kitchen. As he entered he happened to bump into the object of his thoughts. Snape jerked at the sudden touch, and looked almost surprised. He had been lost in thought, his head down, and had for some reason not felt a presence next to him. Harry, for his part, just looked at Snape impassively, and then continued into the kitchen. He knew Snape would not comment. His cutting remarks to Harry had stopped when Harry had accepted him back into the Order. In fact, Harry mused, Snape had barely even talked to him after that day.

"Hello, Harry dear!" Molly Weasley greeted as Harry entered. She chose to ignore Snape entirely…the Order often to do that now whenever the man entered a room. Harry for the first or second time wondered if the silent treatment Snape received affected the man. He brushed the thought off and blamed it on too little sleep.

"Hello Mrs. Weasley." Harry took a seat at the table and was given a healthy portion of the breakfast Molly had been cooking. Ron, Hermione, the Twins, Ginny, Lupin, Tonks, and a few other Order members were already at the table eating or reading the recent news from the Daily Prophet.

A few more 'pops' and the Order was complete, and the meeting began.

"I believe Tonks should begin the meeting. She has some information from the Ministry…" Lupin began.

"This hasn't reached the Prophet yet, thank Merlin, but last night there was a break from Azkaban. It's been reported that Lucius Malfoy escaped sometime in the early evening…." Tonks' report was cut short by the immediate ruckus created by the name. Everyone knew that Lucius was part of Voldemort's inner circle. His escape could spell big problems for the Order, as well as the Wizarding world. Ron, and a few of the adults turned to Snape, demanding an explanation. Harry noticed that Snape seemed just as shocked, and he realized for the first time that Snape was the only one without a chair.

" I assure you I knew nothing about this!" Snape tried to defend.

"Oh bugger off! You probably helped him walk right out! He's at your house isn't he!!" Ron had gotten right in Snape's face, and it was obvious he was itching for a reason to hex his former professor.

"QUIET!" Harry bellowed, sick of the noise and angry that he couldn't get the rest of the report with everyone yelling over Tonks. The room froze, and turned to their savior. "Tonks, was it a death eater attack?"

"From what we can tell, no. It looks like some one walked in and smuggled him out with the help of a charm. The officials actually think that the Malfoy family itself might have something to do with this."

"Highly unlikely unless it was Draco." Snape said to the Order as a whole, "Narcissa hates Lucius."

"Could you ask Draco?" Harry ignored the hateful looks shooting at Snape. He might not like the man, but Snape did have a connection to Draco.

" I could try, but I'd have to get to him alone and away from the Dark Lord."

"Alone?! Hell no!" Ron was still invading Snape's personal space, and snarled the negative right into the man's face.

"What, Weasley? You want to go with me and hex Draco a few times? I'm sure Draco would love to talk after he's been mangled by a botched spell."

"Why you..!"

"I'll go with him!" Harry interjected. He was already thinking about his invisibility cloak. "We'll get our answers, Snape will _not_ be alone, and I'll get to see just how sorry Draco is for what he did at the end of last year. Snape, you mentioned last meeting that Draco wanted a way out of Voldemort's service?" Here Snape nodded, "Then let's just see how true that sentiment is. We'll go tomorrow before the train leaves. If Draco is sincere maybe we can get him to Hogwarts somehow."

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AN: Thanks for reading! Please review! Yes, the title makes me the of The Who, too:)


	3. Blanket in my Dreams, Unknown

Chapter 3: Blanket in my Dreams, Unknown

There was a reason Lucius always took a dreamless sleep potion. There was dream that haunted him, made him ache even more, a dream that would drive him to distraction upon waking from it. Though he did not have a potion to chase it away while in Azkaban, the dementors had seemed to keep it at bay, for the dream could technically be filed as a "happy" one.

Now, he was having the dream. He had been exhausted after fixing the wards around him to keep prying eyes away, and after going through his resumed habit of drinking nightly glass of port he had fallen to sleep in his chair. He had been too tired to even change into something now comfortable.

"Lucius," A voice crooned in his ear. To his right Lucius felt the breath from the words on his cheek. It tickled, almost itched, and he hoped for a kiss to follow the breath's path, if only to take the itch away.

"Lover," Another voice growled, a little further away and right in front of him. It made Lucius shiver and hold out his left hand. His right was still holding the port, and he was not close enough to a solid surface to set it down.

He knew he was dreaming, and part of him demanded he wake up and forget this foolish dream. And yet, for all his mental protests, his heart whispered to him to _be still_ and let this feeling continue. It had been so long, years, since he had allowed himself to dream, and what was the harm in a little comfort? Lucius settled again into his dream, and let the two phantoms that he knew represented, and were in a way, his mates do with him as they pleased.

The breath had now crept to his neck, and when a light flick of a tongue briefly touched him Lucius sucked in a breath of his own and tightened his right hand around the glass. The glass was gently removed, though no other hand yet touched his, and then he was 'shhed' as if he were a rather large skittish cat. He wryly thought that maybe that wasn't far from the truth. He was a tiger in anigmus form after all….ok, so his was a white tiger cub. So what? He was sure his mates would've thought it cute, if he had ever gotten the courage to show them what the 'great and powerful wizard' turned into.

"Lucius, are you wandering again?" Lucius jumped as a hand firmly grasped his outstretched one that he had left hanging. It was warm and strong…and slender for a man's. Lucius wondered if this mate that held his hand played the piano or another musical instrument. That thought threatened to make him wander again.

"It seems to me," the presence to his right commented, "that our love can't keep his mind on us….I feel that we should remedy this before he gets too lost."

"Indeed."

Lucius' body, along with his soul and his magic, started humming in anticipation. It had been so very, very long. What was the harm? Surely the aftereffects he would feel the next morning would not be that bad? Lucius was willing to chance it.

Another hand took hold of his right hand, and he was gently helped up from his favorite chair in the study. Lucius realized with a start that his eyes had been closed this entire time. This was nothing new, and usually he would've left them closed, but this time Lucius decided that if he was going to have this dream right now, when he was under the most stress from the break and the Dark Lord, that he had the right to have a peak at his makes.

"_Just a peak_" He thought to himself as he tried to open his eyes. He jerked with a start when he realized he couldn't open his eyes.

"Ah, so you've finally encountered the blindfold have you?" Lucius wanted to panic, and knew that these phantom mates could feel his distress. "Easy Lucius, we wouldn't ever blind you like that.."

"Without your permission" The presence on the left interjected.

"You've put that blindfold there yourself. When you really want to know us, not just see us but truly know who we are, that blindfold will fall off." Lucius leaned towards the right where the soothing explanation had come from, but he still felt it wasn't enough. His instincts riled against being physically bound in anyway, though his soul argued that these were his mates and he was O.K. in their more than capable hands.

"Can't you just take it off?" Lucius almost begged…but Malfoys don't beg.

"No." The voice on the left was stern and matter-of-fact, though not really cruel. "And don't try yanking it off out of panic.." Lucius scoffed, "yes, panic. It will not come off until you a _truly ready_."

"Come, I think we've talked enough about this." The phantom on the right gently moved Lucius forward and away from the chair. " I want to pay some attention to you before you try to block me again." The left hummed in agreement.

Two sets of hands ran up Lucius' arms and to his shirt. The smaller set, coming from the right, started undoing the buttons of his shirt at the bottom. The left started at the top and soon Lucius was bare from the waist up. Hands rubbed and caressed him, enfolding him in comfort and gentleness with just the right amount of sure presence. These hands knew him, and he belonged to them. Lucius could've cried.

Realizing that it had been too long since Lucius had felt a caring touch, his phantom mates surrounded him and cuddled him between them. The smaller of the two stood in front of him, nuzzling his right cheek, while the taller held his back to a firm chest and rested its' head on his shoulder. Lucius began to tremble, and then pulled his arms in to hide them at his chest, resting his forehead on a shoulder in front of him. Gentle words and soft caresses were offered to him as he hid for the first time in years in the hold of his represented mates.

He never knew how long he stood there, but soon the phantom in front was nudging his head up.

"We have to go now." Lucius did whimper then, "No, Lucius. Don't. We'll see you soon. We'll be here soon after you wake." Lucius shook his head. He wouldn't wake up. He just wouldn't. He refused.

"Lucius you are _going_ to wake up. Now, chin up. We're leaving." Lucius reached out to try and grab one of them, but they were already far away.

"We love you, Lucius" The more soothing voice said.

"We'll see you, Lover" The stronger voice faded.

And Lucius awoke. Standing in the middle of his study, the shirt he had worn when falling asleep now at his feet, Lucius wept for loneliness. He wanted his mates.

He allowed himself a few more seconds before throwing his shirt back on, charming his eyes to no longer be wet or red, and sweeping out of the room. Draco was calling, after all.

_It doesn't matter._

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AN: Sorry it's so sad, but it needed to be written. Yes, Lucius will be a bit of a sub…but I like gentle Lucius. It's a nice change, don't you think? Review! Or I might leave poor Lucius heartbroken…Ok, so I couldn't really do that. But please review! It makes me smile.


	4. Save Us, For this House is too Cold

Chapter 4: Save Us, for this House is too Cold

Snape and Harry made their way through Snape's house. Snape never really called it home. He didn't have a home. Home was a place where a person felt wanted, and Snape had never felt wanted. True, his mother had at one time loved and wanted him, but his time with her hadn't lasted long, and wasn't a home supposed to be long lasting? Permanent, even? Yes, families move, but they still have each other. Lovers travel, but their home remains in each other's arms. Snape had no home, and he had long ago resigned himself to forever be "homeless".

"Mr. Potter," Snape said, coming to a halt outside one of the upper level rooms, "There is something I must explain to you before we enter this room." Snape paused to make sure he had Harry's full attention.

Harry waited patiently for Snape to continue.

"Beyond this door lies the matching cupboard to the one in Malfoy Manor which was used on…_that night_." Harry's eyes widened, and Snape could feel him tense in barely checked anger. "Before you ask, I didn't tell you because one, the topic hasn't come up before in my presence, and two, I wanted to protect Draco."

The wall hangings began to shake, but Snape ploughed on. He wanted to explain his reasoning, and get his point across. "I have watched over Draco since the day he took his first breath. I will not allow him to be mangled by self-righteous aurors who think they know how to 'handle death eaters'. Draco is _not _ a death eater, and any part he had in the raid was a direct response to the threat against his family."

"Would you have told me where the cupboard was if I had asked?" Harry was beyond angry, but he was still willing to give Snape an out.

"Yes, but only you." The house began to settle again. "I tell you this now because this is how we will reach Draco. I have the suspicion that Draco is hiding in the Manor, and I also feel that Lucius is now hiding with him. If Draco is truly behind the break out, then the Manor is where the two shall be."

" How have they managed to hide from the auror raids of the Manor?"

"The house protects its' own," was Snape's short reply. Harry accepted the answer, knowing how old the Malfoy family was.

They walked into the room, and crossed to the cupboard. Snape stepped in first and closed the door. Harry counted, then opened the door and stepped trough. On the other side Snape was waiting for him. They turned to the door leading to the rest of Malfoy Manor, and found Draco already standing there.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to come." Draco addressed Snape before turning to Harry. "I'm sure you had planned on hiding before I could catch sight of you. I'm glad the plan failed, for I have some things to speak with you about. Come."

Harry recovered from his momentary shock, and followed Snape and Draco to a sitting room across the hall. The place looked rundown and uninhabited. Harry suspected the look had something to do with the wards in and surrounding the Manor. The three each took seats, and the two Order members waited for Draco to begin.

"I feel that time is running short in this war, and so I'll cut right to the chase. You're here because you suspect that I broke my father out of Azkaban. I admit freely that I did. The woman who doesn't really like to call herself my mother ran to France right after the Dark Lord found out about my failings. He threatened her and she ran, leaving me here to pick up the pieces and try and save father.

Funny, that. She forced Lucius to become a death eater when they married, threatening him with my unborn self and claiming that she loved "_Dearest Voldemort_" and that Lucius was a coward if he didn't take the mark and instead tried to flee, and yet when the Dark Lord turns on her it's all of a sudden ok to turn tail and run. Lucius only ever became a death eater to save me, and has tried for years to keep me away from that monster. The Dark Lord sent my father to the ministry during our fifth year knowing full well that he could very likely be caught and sent to Azkaban…."

"But what about second year?!" Harry interrupted, "He put that diary with Ginny!"

"He put the diary there because my mother was standing a few feet away and pointing her wand in my direction. He might not care too much for his own safety, but if she had killed me ( which she would've if he hadn't done as told) it would've destroyed him. He was hoping you would catch on as you had during first year with the stone.

Back to my original thought, Narcissa and the Dark Lord were trying to get my father out of the way so that they could initiate me. Dumbledore was to be my initiation. Narcissa was so proud until the stakes were announced. When her life became threatened she made the deal with Severus that should I fail, he would be charged with finishing the task."

"This, along with the oath I made to Albus is why I did what I did."

"You could've just chosen to die!" Harry argued, and then upon realizing what he had said, began to apologize.

"No Harry, you're right. But Albus also made me promise to look after you. I refuse to be a ghost, and I can't very well protect you if I'm dead. I did what I was asked to do by Albus, even though the decision was hard and I often hate myself for following it."

Harry was startled. So Snape did feel guilt. Harry had never really been sure 'till that moment whether or not Snape was genuine in his regret. Hearing that the man even hated himself put things into a new perspective.

It was also interesting to find that Lucius and Draco had been blackmailed with each other's lives. He still didn't approve of Lucius' past, but he could understand wanting to save one's own unborn child.

"What about the anti-muggle, mudblood mantras you two seem to have?" He really wanted to be sure of where Draco stood.

"Well, you can't really support muggles and muggle-borns openly when you have a mad man out to kill anyone who does, and you happen to be in forced service for him."

Well, that definitely made since.

"And where do you stand Draco?"

"I'm not a complete goody two-shoes if that's what you're hoping, but I don't have a problem personally with muggles in anyway. Neither does Father, though we'll never say that in public until the Dark Lord is dead fro sure."

Harry sat back and mulled over the information. He was willing to give second chances. Lord knew they needed all the help they could get, but he wasn't willing to trust whole hug and he made that fact clear.

"I'll need to talk to Lucius, and you WILL be watched twenty-four/seven until I feel you are trustworthy enough to be left on your own. Understood?"

Draco nodded. "When will that trust be given, do you think?"

"Probably after the war is over."

" I can accept that."

"It's all I'll give you."

Draco excused himself to find his father.

"Thank you for giving them a chance." Harry nearly fell out of his chair at Snape's 'thanks'. Today was truly a strange one.

When Lucius entered the room, Harry immediately felt something off in the man's demeanor. Where before there had been arrogance, there was now fatigue. It seemed that Azkaban had affected the man deeply. There was also something else in Lucius' walk that seemed almost off, as if something had just happened within the last twenty minutes to distract and emotionally upset the man. Harry and Snape stood, and Harry approached Lucius.

"Mr. Potter," Lucius greeted, extending his right hand.

"Mr. Malfoy," Harry shook the offered hand. "your son has explained your situation. Where do you stand?"

"I raised my son to protect himself on the outside, and know the truth on the inside. There is nothing wrong with blood, but one must protect himself in whatever way is best." Lucius did his best to focus on Harry and not the ache that had intensified since his dream.

"Spoken like a true Slytherin. I trust Draco has told you my terms?"

"Yes, and I accept."

"Alright then. Gather only what you need. You're coming with us."

Lucius and Draco gave the slightest start, and then quickly did as told. They were both ready to leave their gloomy residence. Once packed, they traveled back the way Harry and Snap had come. After they all came through to the Snape house, the there cupboard was broken to prevent anyone from following them. They couldn't afford death eaters so near to Snape or the Order member assigned to him at any given time.

After bringing the Malfoys to headquarters, Harry explained the meeting, and told the Order that the Malfoys were now under his roof and his protection. Again, there was a lot of fighting and hexing, but the Malfoys took the hexes in stride, and let Harry fight it out before he healed the two. Then Harry showed them each a room for which to stay in, and after placing tracking charms on each Malfoy and letting the Order place wards around their rooms, he wished them goodnight and headed to his own bed. Tomorrow he would get more information out of them, and decide how to deal with Voldemort when he discovered the two Malfoys missing from his ranks and Azkaban cells respectively.


	5. Concerning Mates

Chapter five: Concerning Mates

"You left me!" Lucius accused when he realized that he had once again forgotten to take a dreamless sleep potion. He was laid out on his side in the room Harry had given to him earlier that evening. His back was to the door, but he could feel his mates standing very close behind him. He felt the bed dip as one of his mates leaned over him.

"Oh Lucius," The gentler of the two sighed in his ear, "You were needed in the waking world. We told you that we would be with you again soon." Lucius almost gave up the argument. But here, in the only place he let his guard down and let himself _feel_, Lucius couldn't quite let go of the _feeling_ that he had been abandoned almost on a whim.

"If you were going to just leave me so soon you shouldn't have come in the first place!" Lucius almost felt like a child who'd been given a toy he had wanted for ages, only to have his parents take it away and send it back after he'd just touched it for the first time. True, when he was younger he had dreamt of his mates more frequently, but with the arranged marriage to Narcissa, Lucius had taken to blocking them. He didn't like being taunted by a future he was sure he could never have, and dreaming of his mates made him feel like he was stepping into what life could've been for him. Oh, if only he had been given the freedom to search for and marry his mates instead of being forced to marry a crazed death eater woman.

"Don't be a brat." The bed dipped in front of him as his second mate sat on the bed. "We're here now, and we will continue to be here the rest of the night, unless you feel like wasting our time by sulking."

The scolding words were clipped and irritated. Part of Lucius was reminded of someone, though he couldn't remember who. The larger part of Lucius just felt scolded. He shrank a bit back from his obviously angry mate, unconsciously retreating to the calmer one behind him.

The mate behind him had stretched out on the bed, and seemed to be propped up on an elbow or something. He, for Lucius knew both of his mates were male, pulled Lucius to him and cuddled Lucius' back to his chest. Lucius formed himself to his gentler mate's body until he was spooned from behind. He wrapped his arms around the one draped over him, and held it like one would hold onto a stuffed animal or pillow.

"Don't be so harsh with me," Lucius muttered softly.

"He doesn't mean to be, but you've been blocking us for quite some time. The parts of us that have always been with you often become stressed with the confinement, his more than mine. Don't get me wrong though, we understand the confinement."

"Though now, with your plans to divorce Narcissa, I expect you to stop blocking us." This second mate seemed to be incredibly angry with the confinement Lucius had inflicted on him.

"I'm sorry," Lucius said as he reached out his left hand, the one that wasn't trapped under his body, to his disgruntled mate.

His mate sighed and took the offered hand, kissing the back of it to show that he forgave Lucius. The gesture also conveyed that the mate understood Lucius' choice to block them for so long. The mate lay down and moved so that Lucius was once again cuddled between the two, and Lucius' constant aches were quelled for the time being. His left hand was gently held by the mate in front, while Lucius' right cheek rested on one of his other mates' hands. A big and soft comforter was levitated over to them by the mate in front of him. It was then tucked around the three figures.

"why can't I recognize your voices? I feel like I recognize something in the way you both speak, but I can never place the style with the actual person once I wake, or even here for that matter." It was a question that had bugged Lucius for quite some time.

"Same principle as the blindfold. When you're ready, you'll be able to place the voice with the actual person you know." The gentle explanation combined with the earlier kiss on the hand let Lucius know that his mate in front of him had truly given up his grudge.

Lucius sighed and settled in for a great night's sleep. He felt the arms around him tighten comfortably, and decided then and there that he would permanently stop taking the dreamless sleep potion. His mates were right, after all… With the divorce from Narcissa, and the switch to the "Light Side", he really had no reason to block his mates. He promised himself right in that moment that once the time was right, he would truly reach out and find the two people he was meant for.

"Goodnight Lucius." From behind.

"Goodnight Lover." From in front.

"goodnight…..my mates." Lucius slept, in reality and in his dream, with a soft smile on his face.

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A.N. Well, there you go! Review! OH! And if I could get a beta, that would be great. I like to turn these out at one per day, but I sometimes don't have time to reread them until they're already posted. Spell check is already done, I just need someone to catch when I type the wrong word. :) If you have a lot of time, and want to help, then drop me a line! Thanks:)


	6. Lova Me!

Chapter six: Lova me!

Warning: This chapter has a small lemon…not too big, with a bit of sugar. Please read responsibly, and remember my rating! Thanks, and enjoy!

Lucius awoke in his dream world first. The soft carding of a hand through his hair, and the hand that caressed his side were enough to make him interested in the world around him. He stretched and arched, before resting his arm over the mate in front and pulling himself closer to the warmth so that he could nuzzle into the chest that the warmth came from. The mate behind him kissed his ear, and then hugged his two mates to him.

Lucius was comfortable and content….and just slightly aroused. It seemed that his body appreciated having its' mates so close. Almost without his control, Lucius' hips rocked back just slightly, pressing against his mate in a small offering. His thigh drew up along his other mate's leg to hike around his hip, his foot gently kneading the thigh and back of the knee.

"Lucius," the mate in front of him warned.

"Hmm?" Lucius mumbled innocently while tilting his head up in another offering.

"Lucius, you need to wake up." Lucius whined, and started to gently rock his hips. He _really _hoped they would get the hint soon, or he was sure he'd go mad during his waking hours because of pent-up sexual frustration. Honestly, what more did he have to do to get the point across?!

The mate behind him chuckled, and then settled a hand on Lucius' hip. Finally! Lucius arched his hips back and waited. The mate in front sighed, and then Lucius was pushed forward so that he was flush with both bodies.

"Don't make a sound, or we'll stop. You're not the only one in this house, and I refuse to be blamed when people start to question the reasons why you were so vocal this morning." Lucius grinned, and then sighed silently as his mates started rocking him up and down in unison. He loved it when they worked together like this, and for a fleeting moment thought of all the times as a teen when they had rocked him to his core, much like they were promising to do now.

Their movements against him were maddeningly slow and incredibly powerful. Lucius' eyes rolled back as the mate behind him gripped his hip and bum with one hand and used the other to grip is hair and turn his head for a kiss. When his other mate bit down on his throat and started playing with his nipples through his shirt Lucius open his mouth in a silent cry, which the mate kissing him took advantage of. Lucius breathed heavy and trembled with the effort of keeping himself from crying out. When his mates started to pound into him without warning, shoving him up against the pillow, Lucius gripped the cloth covering each of his mates, one hand to each mate, and silently howled in victory. He had been dying for his mates to pound into him, and they had finally given him what he wanted…_needed_. Lucius writhed weakly against them as his release took hold of him. He felt his mates pound harder into him, and rode out their releases as well, rejoicing in this dream joining. Even with their clothes still on (for his mates refused to completely bond with him until he was with their actual bodies, and awake) Lucius still felt like his world had been rocked and tilted until he wasn't even sure what the common language of England was anymore. He huffed and sighed in his delight, and cuddled even closer to his mates, almost hoping to climb into them and never come out. He was a little confused when he felt them chuckle against him, and even more so when they burst out laughing at his befuddled expression.

"You were muttering in French, our lover," the mate behind him whispered. Their laughter grew even more when Lucius felt himself blush.

"Awe, we _love_ you," His mates hugged him tight and rubbed his muscles into submission.

The mate in front of him cast cleaning spells, and then dropped a kiss to Lucius' head.

Lucius smiled. They let him rest for a little longer, and then began to move off the bed. When he reached for them, they each took a hand and kissed it.

"It's time for us to go. We'll see you soon, lover" The more gruff of the two whispered against his hand.

"We love you, Lucius." The younger kissed his hand again.

"See you soon," Lucius whispered, and then his eyes opened, and he was in the waking world.

END LEMON! YOU CAN LOOK NOW! J

AN: Thanks for reading! I was going to make this longer, but I don't have the time right now! Review!


	7. Look You Arm Yourself

Chapter Seven: Look You Arm Yourself

The first sound that Lucius registered upon waking was that of raised voices. He sat up quickly, thinking that maybe the Order had been found by death eaters, but upon listening further he realized that the Order members were fighting with _each other. _

'Oh great,' He thought, 'I go from a crazed lunatic to a bunch of squabbling children. Can I _please_ go back to sleep?' He heard no answer from his mates, but knew they might be cross with him if he returned so soon after they had told him he was needed in the waking world.

"You may NOT keep them here, Harry!" Lucius wondered who was telling their 'savior' off.

"And who are you to tell me what I can and can't do in MY HOUSE! It's best if they stay here where we can keep and eye on them!" Lucius snorted. Where else would he and his son go?

"They're death eaters!" that was definitely Molly Weasley.

"Think of what Draco did!... FINE correction, TRIED TO DO!" And her youngest boy, if Lucius was correct.

"Look, I'm not saying I trust them! I'm just saying that they need to be watched, there are plenty of people to do that here, AND with this war going on we need all the help we can get!"

"The only help we'll get out of those two is a helping hand into an early grave!" Lucius was almost surprised by the sarcasm that laced the angry words. He stood and headed to the adjoining bedroom. He needed to see if his son was awake, and if so, how he was faring with the words being yelled about them.

Lucius found his son sitting up in bed staring intently at the door. He could tell that Draco desperately wanted to defend himself, but knew better than to charge downstairs. He sat next to his son, and waited.

"And what about Lucius?! He escaped from PRISON!….WITH DRACO'S HELP!!! What if they find Lucius here?"

"Who's willing to tell the ministry where MY HOME and OUR HEADQUATERS are? I have only one secret keeper, and if word got out as to where I live, I'd know who it was. We'll feed a story about Lucius being taken by death eaters. Voldemort isn't going to deny the claim, and it'll buy us some time. Maybe we can even say that after he was attacked he came to us for protection because he knew that if they could pull him out of Azkaban once then they could do it again. We could say that we are holding him, and that he is willing to give us names or something…battle tactics. I'm pretty sure he could give us those anyway."

"What about Draco?" Lucius felt his son tense, and pulled him into a one armed embrace. If the Order didn't think of something, he would. He refused to let the Dark Lord have any kind of sway over his son _ever again!_

"He'll come back to school. No one really knows of his involvement at the end of last year, and we can just give him his own room saying we're protecting him from the death eaters that took his father. Surely Voldemort would take Lucius' family to hurt Lucius, and everyone knows how much he treasures his only heir." There was some mumbling, and then everyone went quiet.

"Are we agreed? I'll even room with him.."

"Harry no!"

"Yes, I'll stay with him, and see where his loyalties really lie. Are we agreed?"

Silence.

"_Are we agreed?!_"

A unanimous "YES" and things went still. Lucius decided it was safe to travel downstairs, and went to change for the day.

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As soon as Lucius opened the door to his room, Harry felt the wards surrounding it shift. He had a pretty good feeling that Lucius had heard most of the argument, and from the look on Snape's face it seemed that the other man knew as well. He gave Lucius no time to school his features before he strode to the bottom of the stairs.

"I know you heard, and I feel that now I want to know were you stand on my decisions. I don't trust you, but this is you life as well as mine."

"I agree to stay here, and I'll give you any information you need. I also agree to stick by your death eater story, and am willing to stand a trial where I will denounce the Dark Lord, and even show some scars if you feel it necessary." The thought of Lucius having scars unsettled Harry for some reason.

"What about Draco?" Harry felt the wards shift again as Draco joined his father at the top of the stairs.

"I also agree to your story. It's probably a good idea to keep me away from most of the other Slytherins anyway once I openly denounce the Dark Lord." Harry seemed pleased for a moment, before his face went serious again.

"Call him Voldemort. Saying "The Dark Lord" makes it sound like you still follow him." When Harry saw them flinch at the name he said, "I guess you could say 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named', but I really do hate that. It's almost like giving him power, showing him we're afraid."

"But we are." Draco said. Harry started. And then thought about what Voldemort did to deserters.

"Yes, I guess you would be."

"Aren't you?" My, Draco was being very open.

Harry paused to think it over.

"No. I've faced him too many times, and seen too much of what he can do to feel anything but anger and injustice." Lucius realized then how much Harry had grown. The young man was way too old for his seventeen years. He didn't know why, but that thought hurt. "We're leaving for Hogwarts soon. I suggest you be ready." To Lucius he said, "Anything that will help your case, or us, I suggest you start making a list of now. You both know you will be watched at all times, so don't make me regret my decision. Snape will also be living here for the same reasons. He was under an Oath by Dumbledore to do what he did, and we are going to present that in court. I warn you now that if the three of you are working together for Voldemort, I'll kill you one by one. Good day." And with that Harry strode off to another part of the house.

The Malfoys looked at each other, not knowing what to think, but knowing that they were definitely going to have to prove that their intentions were true. They both prayed that they would be accepted, for their safety as well as their sanity. After all, Lucius needed his mates…and Draco could definitely use some true friends for once in his life.


	8. Pardon Me, Boys

Chapter 8: Pardon Me, Boys

Harry, his two best friends, and Draco stepped onto Platform 9 and ¾ the next day, all looking worse for the wear. For the safety of its students, the departure time for the Hogwarts Express had been moved to very early in the morning. The staff and faculty, as well as many of the parents, had felt that it would be better if the students arrived at school when it was still light outside. One never knew when the death eaters might decide to attack carriages and boats traveling after dark.

Draco had agreed to travel with Harry, both for the protection and also for his image. He really wanted to separate himself from the future death eaters in Slytherin, and what better way than to travel with the hero of Gryffindor? Ron and Hermione hadn't been thrilled with the idea, but they were willing to tolerate Draco for Harry's sake. Not to mention that they weren't willing to leave their best friend alone with the son of an "ex"-death eater.

The four teens boarded the train after securing their trunks, and set off to find an empty compartment. Once finding one towards the middle of the train, the four settled in for a long and rather silent ride. The silence was broken only once when Ron and Hermione headed off for the Prefect meeting. Ron threatened Draco with a painful death, sounding much like "Wat" from _A Knight's Tale_, before he and Hermione headed off.

Harry and Draco spent the ride avoiding each other's gaze. When they reached the platform near Hogwarts, the teens met up again, and climbed into on of the carriages. Draco was just thinking on the lack of Slytherin interference when he heard Millicent Bulstrode call his name.

'Speak of the Devil," Draco thought.

"Oy, Malfoy!" The Slytherins snickered at the way the words rhymed. Draco rolled his eyes. "What're you doing with those namby-pamby Gryffindors? Trying to desert us, now?"

"I was never with you to begin with. How, then, can I desert you? Hmm?" Draco started to climb into the carriage when Nott grabbed his arm.

"Oh really, now? So you didn't lead us around, didn't brag to us on the train last year, didn't run to 'Daddy dearest, death eater', hmm?" Draco almost winced.

"Leave him be," Hermione, Draco realized, had seen his reaction in his eyes. He was a bit thrown off that she defended him now. The irony of it was not lost on him.

"Oh ho! Having Mudbloods fight your battles now Draco? Tisk, tisk."

"Better Mudbloods than brainless twits who can't think without a mob backing them up, or a hard-handed leader in front of them. Tell me, who do you follow around? Who does your homework, Parkinson? Nott?" No answer met his questions, but their faces turned a nice shade of purple.

Nott pulled his fist back, aiming a punch at Draco's face, when a hand stopped him. When Draco felt no fist connecting with his face he opened his eyes to see Crabbe holding Nott back.

"Not here, Theo, not here." Was all the teen said. Draco took the opportunity as it came, and wrenched his arm away, climbing quickly into the carriage. As it pulled away, Draco caught Crabbe's eye, and could've sworn he saw the other boy wink.

Once at Hogwarts, time started to go almost at light speed. Before he knew it, Draco was being ushered into his new room that he would share with Harry. It was actually a suite of rooms consisting of a common room, a bathroom, study, and two bedrooms.

"These rooms used to belong to a professor who kept his family here with him," Was the explanation Harry gave him at his questioning look. Draco noted that Harry seemed good at telling what people wanted to know. He also noticed that Harry seemed to tell people only what he was willing to tell them, and didn't let people push information out of him. How very Slytherin of Harry…how very strange: Harry acting like a Slytherin.

By silent agreement, the boys split and went to the bedrooms closest to them, Harry on the right and Draco on the left. It didn't matter who got what room, for they were both the same. Draco snorted when he noticed that the color scheme was that of Gryffindor, but he didn't complain. Better that then living in a den of backstabbing snakes who now knew where he really stood. He wouldn't like to wake up with a hole in his chest, thanks.

Hermione and Ron stopped by before rounds, and wished Harry a goodnight.

Ron completely ignored Draco, but as they left gave him on last death warning should something happen to Harry. Hermione, though she also eluded to pain should Harry suddenly become hurt, had more decency than Ron and wished Draco a "goodnight" and "sweet dreams". Draco wished her the same, and made an effort to smile, if only for her sake.

Once they left, Harry and Draco readied themselves for bed, wished each other a strained "goodnight", and headed to their respective rooms.

As Draco closed his eyes, one thought remained with him.

'This is going to be a long and interesting year.'

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AN: Hello! Sorry this is a bit late. I had some things I needed to take care of before I wrote another chapter. So here it is! In three more chapters you'll know who the mates are! But that's ONLY if I get reviews! ;) Till next time! Tootles.


	9. I Know You'll Find a Way

Chapter 9: I Know You'll Find a Way

"LUCIUS!" The shout shook Lucius from his sleep, and made him jump from the desk chair he currently occupied. He looked around, sat back down, and then growled. He knew who had shouted. His mates hadn't let him have much sleep for the past few weeks. They had even resorted to not joining him in dreams, and instead left him in darkness for a quick powernap before shouting in his head to wake him again.

He was cranky, he was tired, and he was so close to polishing off his defense that his meddlesome mates refused to let him rest until he had a truly infallible case on which to present his innocence. His mates _truly_ loved him and couldn't bear to lose him to Azkaban for a second time. Lucius was sure that if he was near his mates real bodies he would _truly_ kill them with his bare hands! He was just _so tired_.

Lucius returned his focus to the papers and books in front of him. He was in the midst of documenting every curse he could remember Vo…Vol…The Dar…_Voldemort_ (even thinking the name made Lucius want to flinch) using. He was also making a list of the death eaters in the 'Inner Circle'.

He and Severus, who was seated at another desk in the Black (now Potter) library, had taken Harry's words to heart. They were determined to present perfect cases of, if not innocence, their unwillingness to be death eaters. They were set on showing how much threat Voldemort had held over each of their heads, and how willing they were to help bring him down. They also wanted to prove to Harry that his trust in them was not misplaced.

With Draco rooming with Harry, Lucius felt that he could now really help bring Voldemort down and not worry that Narcissa would touch his son. In the Wizarding World, if a couple divorced the heir usually went to the custody of the Father. It also helped that Draco was going to come of age in December. Narcissa had no hold on the one person besides his mates that Lucius would give anything for, would die for if necessary, and that suited Lucius just fine.

"Done," Severus announced, cracking his back as he stood.

'Lucky,' Lucius grumbled in his head.

"Need any assistance?" Severus asked as he moved over to Lucius on he way out of the library. "Want some coffee? Or maybe some real food instead of the apple you've been poking at for almost an hour?" Severus curled his lips as he threw the apple away with a flick of his wand.

"I'm not really hungry, but if you're willing to help me finish this list of curses, and check over that list of names on the edge of the desk, there, it'd be much appreciated."

Without a word, Severus took the list of names and settled down in a nearby chair to check it over. Lucius saw him nod out of the corner of his eye, and then felt him look over his shoulder to the curse list. After a few minutes, in which Severus occasionally mentioned a few forgotten curses, Lucius felt Severus move away.

"Looks pretty complete to me. Is this the last of your case preparation?"

"Yes. I've already outlined what Narcissa did, as well as how Voldemort tried to use me to get to Draco. My marking, as well as any of my involvement in raids has been explained to the best of my ability. These two lists are my final touches."

"Excellent," The word was the most praise Lucius had gotten in a very long time. "Let's say you and I go and celebrate with a few sandwiches, and a nice long rest. I know you don't feel hungry now, but we both need our strength in the days to come."

Lucius sighed, organized his papers into the case folder, and then stood and stretched before following Severus to the kitchen. Once they arrived at their destination, Severus set to making a couple sandwiches while Lucius dropped gracefully into a chair at the table. He so desperately wanted to rest his head on the table and just sleep, but for the sake of politeness he held his desire at bay.

They ate together in silence, both too tired to really come up with anything worth while or uncase related to talk about. Lucius thanked Severus for the dinner, offered to clean (which was promptly brushed off with a "Go to bed."), and headed for his much wanted bed. Those mates of his were going to get an earful…if he even had the energy for that that is.

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"Lucius," Lucius moaned and buried his head deeper into the pillow. He knew that he was already asleep, but he was as mentally exhausted as he was physically, and he really didn't want to hear his mates give pointers on his case anymore. He just wanted to have a peaceful night's sleep, and then maybe take a day to rest and nap until he felt up to snuff again.

"Lucius," He could hear the smile in the gentle call, and scowled into his pillow. They had no right to be cheerful, or playful, or cajoling, or anything resembling pleasant after the sleep depravation they had caused him. When he felt a hand on his back, he growled and burrowed deeper into the blankets. He _would not _wake up.

'Not for thy _Fairy Kingdom!!_' He mentally grouched at them, strangely proud of himself for still being able to quote Shakespeare in his worn out state.

A body lay down behind him and molded itself to his back, cuddling him until he was spooned against a warm chest.

"Don't be so angry. We aren't here to try and wake you again, and we're very pleased with the work you've put into finishing the case preparations for your defense. Excellent job, Lucius." The gruffer of the two mates said as he molded himself to Lucius' front. "We understand that you have every right to be cross with us, but we knew you'd find a way to make an excellent case for yourself if given the right motivation."

"And what, exactly, was my motivation, hmm?" Lucius grouched into his pillow. He refused to give them the pleasure of seeing his face.

"The promise of sleep, should you finish." Mr. Gruff, as Lucius had dubbed the mate in his tired state, stated very matter-of-factly. Lucius snorted. Then he growled again for good measure. He wanted to make sure that they knew how very unhappy he was with them.

Very gently, his mates started to nuzzle their heads against his head and neck. Their hands started to rub out the knots that stress and lack of sleep had created in his body. He made a whining noise, not wanting to give in, but feeling so good.

"Come on, Lucius. Don't stay cross with us. We're here now, and we promise not to do that again in this dream world." The gentler mate cooed into his ear.

"What about in the waking world?" His gentler mate chuckled softly.

"We don't control our waking selves. We are only an extension of them."

"Do you dream of me then? Or of each other?" Lucius was tired, but still curious.

"Sometimes, but not as often or as clearly as you dream of us."

"Why not?"

"Because one of us has blocked his emotions almost completely, and the other is…..shall we say, preoccupied."

"Another lover?" Lucius couldn't help feeling a little jealous.

"_Hell NO!_" It was said so adamantly that Lucius felt silly that he had asked in the first place. "We love you, and only you. And, luckily, neither of us can be forced into a marriage like you were. We are free, and waiting for you." Lucius sighed, and finally relaxed into his mates.

"There you go, lover." Mr. Gruff didn't seem to say much tonight, but it was nice to hear his voice. His mates stilled their work, and settled him between them. They prepared for a long sleep, and cuddled Lucius until he drifted away on oceans of peace and deep sleep.

As he drifted he heard them whisper, "We love you, Lucius." and "Forever, lover. Goodnight"

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AN: Thank you for your patience! I know these chapters are often rather short, but I ask you to give me some leeway. I'm a double major with a language minor, and I don't have a lot of time, or energy, to spend on stories outside of homework. I really enjoy writing this, and I hope you enjoy reading it, but I refuse to spend all of my very scarce free time writing. Though I do so love Lucius in this (as well as his mates ;) ). I also like to read other stories when I get the chance. It keeps the creative energy going for this story. Thank you again, and please review!


	10. Stolen Away at Midday

**Chapter 10: Stolen Away at Midday**

This was it. _ The_ day. Lucius and Severus would make their way to the Ministry of Magic, present their cases, and either leave as free men or condemned prisoners. Lucius refused to admit it out loud, but he was terrified. His mates had had to pry him from the bed and stand him up before they woke him, knowing that if he woke lying down he would refuse to get out of bed. They had cuddled, cajoled, pleaded, and finally threatened him before he finally woke in his standing position.

He had made his mates promise him that, should he be condemned, they would find a way to visit him at least one last time. He knew that if he was found guilty he would receive the kiss, and he couldn't bear the thought that the morning of his trial was to be the last time he would ever see them should he fail. He had silently cried (Though a Malfoy never cries, of course) in the shower, thinking of the possible worst scenario.

For the first time in years, Lucius most desperately wanted and needed his mates with him _right now!_ Of course he wanted them all the time, and of course he needed them always, but in this moment where he faced the possibility of losing his very _soul_ Lucius craved a supporting hand and a comforting touch.

The words '_It doesn't matter'_ had somehow been replaced with '_What if?_' in the past few hours. What if he failed? What if he never got to see his mates in person? What if he never saw Draco again?

Lucius and Severus had been preparing for this day for weeks, and had recently held a small press conference outlining their cases. Severus almost felt relieved. He would never have to spy again after this mess. That was one major point on him where Dumbledore and Harry seemed to split. Dumbledore had been O.K. with subjecting him to Voldemort "for the cause", whereas Harry seemed to loathe the idea of someone getting tortured for "the good of the group". Harry had felt that, with the final battle being so close now, there was no need for someone other than Harry himself to keep an eye on Voldemort.

"When the battle comes, it comes, and we will be ready." Harry had said at the last meeting. And honestly, it wasn't hard to find Voldemort these days. Harry had mastered Occlumency, and had even found a way to use the dreams Voldemort sent him to his advantage. The Order now went off Harry when they needed to save a group of unsuspecting muggles or wayward wizards. Yes, when they needed to find Voldemort, Harry would know where to look.

This new way of tracking that red-eyed madman had given Severus his freedom. Severus did not envy Harry, or the young man's dreams. He saw this trial as his last 'test' before he would be able to really rise up and fight for the Light. He might not be a goody goody Gryffindor, but he knew where he wanted to lay his loyalties and Harry was where freedom held base.

As the two men neared the Ministry, Lucius thought once more of his son, Draco. It seemed that his son and the Boy-Who-Lived had finally gotten over their differences, and were now actually becoming quite good friends with each other. Granted, there were still times when Lucius received an owl bearing a rant about Harry from Draco, but now it seemed that those rants consisted of Draco's worry for Harry's welfare, and Harry's seeming carelessness for it. After a month of Harry disappearing for no reason, Draco had confronted the other boy in a panic, and Harry had yelled a confession about his hunt for Horcruxes. It seemed that Harry thought if he just told Draco, then the other boy would just shut up about it. Obviously, Lucius thought, Harry didn't know his son well enough yet.

When Draco finally decided that someone was worth his concern and friendship, he would protect them from anything he considered a threat… Even if that meant protecting them from 'their own lack of self-preservation and common sense' as Draco often deemed it when talking about the Boy Wonder. Draco had taken to watching over Harry when the other boy went to meals, making sure he was eating and taking care of himself. He offered to help with homework (for Draco was second in their class…everyone knew who was first), and proved to be an excellent study partner for Harry because he was somehow always able to keep Harry focused and interested.

Draco had slowly gotten on Ron and Hermione's good sides, and now the trio turned quartet were nearly inseparable when Harry wasn't on a hunt. Draco also seemed to know when Harry just needed a break or a silent presence.

There was, of course, one huge fight between the two formal rivals. Harry had come back two days late from a hunt, and Draco had been so freaked out that he pounced on the other boy to check for wounds. Harry had stood the attack for about ten seconds before his tiredness had gotten the better of him and he snapped at the former Slytherin. Draco had been offended, and it had taken Ron, Hermione, and Crabbe and Goyle (who had openly defended Draco and turned to the light for their childhood friend) to get the two boys to talk to each other again and apologize for their actions. Harry now stood Draco's scrutiny when he returned, and Draco was more calm when assessing the damage or lack there of. Even Ron and Hermione had been subject to Draco's mothering when they returned from a small mission for the Order, though Ron had a feeling that Draco's gentle treatment of Hermione had nothing to do with the small cut above the brilliant girl's eye.

Over all, Lucius was pleased with the way Draco's seventh year at Hogwarts was progressing. True, the Slytherins still tried to bait him, but it seemed that no one was really willing to cross Harry Potter, his two brilliant and magically talented friends, and the two strongest boys in Slytherin to get to the former Ice Prince. In the span of three and a half months, Draco had managed to cut his dark ties and find the most loyal and loving friends a young man could ask for. The positive attention had definitely done wonders for the boy's disposition and self-image, and it was obvious that Draco was becoming well liked by his peers.

These random thoughts about the past few months helped bolster Lucius' spirit. He and Severus could see the Ministry front door now. There was a light flurry of snow, and the weather seemed to threaten a big storm on the horizon. Lucius hoped the trail would be quick, both for his own sanity and so that he and Severus wouldn't have the chance of getting caught in the storm on their way out of court.

Lucius and Severus were about twenty feet away from the door, surrounded by press, a few aurors, and those few curious wizards when there was a flash of light and a loud explosion. Lucius was knocked to the ground, his eyes temporarily blinded by the flash. When he became aware again, not ten seconds later, he realized that he was laying in the middle of a death eater attack. He and Severus had been told to leave their wands back at Grimmauld Place, and Lucius now cursed Ministry protocol for rendering the two of them helpless.

Before Lucius could get a firm grip on his bearings, he was hauled to his feet, and felt something forced into his hand. Lucius glanced up as he felt the tug of a portkey, and found himself staring into the angry eyes of a masked death eater.

'Well I'm screwed….' Was his last thought before he landed and was knocked unconscious.

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AN: Wouldn't you hate me if I left it here? ;)

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When Lucius came to again, it was to the sight of unblinking black eyes. He would've jerked if it hadn't been for his years as a death eater. He wouldn't let whoever else was there with him know he was awake until he was ready. After a few seconds he realized the eyes were Severus', and that the other man was trying to communicate to him using legilimency. Hence the lack of blinking. It was easier to get a person's attention when they saw you with wide eyes.

'_Stay still.'_ Well thank you, Lucius had figured that one. '_We are tied down, so there's no point, unless you want to give Voldemort the satisfaction of watching you flop around like a trapped animal.'_

Lucius suppressed the urge to sigh. He had had a feeling this day would end badly, he just hadn't known this morning what manner the 'bad ending' would take. He took a quick physical assessment of himself and Severus and found that, as of yet, they hadn't been injured.

"Welcome back Lucius, Severus." And the 'yet' went out the window, along with Lucius' hopes that maybe they had just been stranded somewhere for the Order to find.

It seemed that Voldemort had learned that monologuing before torture often gave his victims a slim margin of chance for escape. He immediately launched into a slew of curses and hexes, holding off his monologue until his two new victims were in the throws of a well placed Cruciatus. Lucius vaguely heard him droning on over his and Severus' screams, but he honestly couldn't have cared less what the madman was yapping about. Probably some "You deserved this, I am God, it's the end of the world as you know it and I feel fine, but you obviously don't" lecture on how "That Potter boy" would die and they wouldn't be there to see it. Well he had one thing right, at this rate they wouldn't be at the last battle.

Lucius barely even noticed when the hexes and curses stopped. His body still twitched painfully in response to what it had been through. Lucius was untied, dragged, and then held up by his arms in front of Voldemort.

"You've turned on me, you've turned on your fellow death eaters, and you've signed your own death warrant." Voldemort then addressed his followers. "This is what happens to those who desert me. This is what will happen to your family if you desert me. I will hunt you down, and I will not rest until you are nothing more than a pile of dust at my feet." Voldemort then turned to Lucius.

"Your son will not survive this war. I will find him, and when I do, I will kill him slowly and more painfully than I will kill you." Voldemort raised his wand to Lucius' temple. Lucius braced himself, and sent a final prayer for Draco's protection. "Oh yes!… You had a couple of mates didn't you?" Lucius wanted to hurl.

'_Not my mates, you bastard! Don't you TOUCH them!'_ He threw in his mind. Voldemort smacked him.

"I'll do what I want, you insignificant insect! But, don't you want to see them before you die? I know you never reached for them…How about I say the incantation for you hmm? It'll be easy, I'll just force my way into your tiny little mind, and out will come the words you were too CHICKEN to speak of your own free will."

Voldemort started muttering an incantation that Lucius couldn't decipher. He felt a push at the edge of his mind, and then the push became a shove, the shove a banging, and all of a sudden another presence was there. Lucius felt like his skin was on fire, a headache burst forth as he tried desperately to shove the intruder out. This was like rape, only of Lucius' mind instead of his body. He almost wished for the latter if it meant he could keep his mates safe.

'You will bow to me!' The thought was shouted in his head.

'_NEVER'_ Lucius fought with all his might, but the curses had worn him down. To his horror, Lucius started mouthing, and then saying the words that would conjure an image of his mate at their current state. It was like watching a hologram come into focus.

Features defined themselves, and an image of a man standing with a look of rage on his face came into focus. Lucius didn't want to look, but he knew that everyone else there could also see the image, and so keeping his eyes closed would do no good. A collective gasp rose through the death eaters as they recognized the person, and as they realized that said person was in their midst.

Severus Snape stood in the image as well as in the center of the circle, shock clearly written on his face before the rage took back its place. Before the death eaters could even comprehend that their other captive had some how become loose of his bonds, Severus knocked Voldemort away from Lucius, grabbed up the fellow captive, and wandlessly apparated away from the crowd of their would be killers.

They apparated to three different locations before landing at Grimmauld Place. Upon spotting them, and their state of injury, the Order sprung into action. Medical supplies were rushed down to the kitchen, and torn robes were slowly removed.

Severus was definitely in better shape than Lucius, and after a few healing spells he joined in the effort to save Lucius.

"Stop!" Lucius yelled.

"What?! Lucius you..!" Lucius cut Molly off.

"He forced me to find one of my mates…Yes, I have two destined mates. Severus is one of them," there was a murmur of shock, but they let him continue. "I want to know the other one."

It saddened the Order that Lucius had been forced to start the incantation to find his mates, but they knew that if he didn't finish it he would slowly go crazy. Mates were rare, but if a person had them and started the incantation to find them, then that person must finish the incantation soon or risk the chance of never finishing it. The person had to start off at the place where they had been interrupted.

Lucius started to murmur the words. His words were resigned, and everyone in the room felt an ache for him. It was horrible to force a person to find their mates before they felt ready, almost like stealing something from them. As the image began to take form, the front door opened and shut, and footsteps could be heard heading to the kitchen at a fast pace. Harry walked through the door, and right into the image. Image and person blended, and then the image was made clear over Harry's features.

The Order gasped, and Lucius sagged back on the table he was lying on. The image and the man standing behind it matched. Harry Potter was Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape's second mate. Severus fainted.

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AN: There you go! You now know who Lucius' mates are. :) Thanks for reading this far, and please continue to read this story! I've got a lot more on the way! For those of you who answered the question for pairing the of Draco, you might not be able to review, but try anyway:) If it doesn't work, just tell me what you think on the next chapter...or on a chapter you haven't reviewed yet:) You can also click on my author name and send me a message. :) Thanks again, and please review:)


	11. I'm Just Not the Same Since Rain pt 1

**Chapter 11: I'm Just not the Same Since there's Rain in My Head pt. 1**

Harry heaved a sigh as he plopped down onto a window seat in the Potter Library. It had rained everyday since Lucius and Severus' rescue, and Harry was starting to think that the weather's behavior was more than just coincidence. It seemed as if mother nature had gotten an urge to mirror the feelings of three of her most beloved wizards at Grimmauld Place.

After Lucius had finished the incantation, the abused wizard had slumped into a coma right on top of the kitchen table. The Order had rushed to revive Severus and heal Lucius' wounds, but it was obvious after Lucius' body was healed that the coma had nothing to do with his injuries and everything to do with his mates. They had moved him to his bed, where he immediately began to thrash as if in the throws of an argument. The Order had encouraged Severus and Harry both to talk to Lucius, but after Lucius replied with repeated and urgent "I'm sorry's" and "Forgive me's" the Order had realized that the coma was a type self-induced punishment.

They all reasoned that maybe Lucius was punishing himself for not being strong enough to reach out to his mates on his own. Maybe he felt that he had let his mates down by "letting" Voldemort force him to reveal them. There were so many maybes, and Harry and Severus, separately of course, had tried to reason with their distraught and unconscious mate. They had tried everything from "It's ok, I forgive you" to "Wake up, damn you!", but Lucius continued on in his coma, seemingly unaware of his surroundings.

Though Harry and Severus knew that they were each others mates, they still avoided each other at all costs. Yes, Severus did admire Harry for his courage and intelligence, but he still couldn't reconcile the knowledge he had of the young man and his hate for the young man's father. Even now, just hearing the last name "Potter" seemed to make him stand on edge, angry and irritated over old hurts. A huge part of him still saw a mini-me James, and was not willing to look for differences instead of similarities.

For his part, Harry had just chosen to ignore the "Snape as a mate" issue all together. Though he had learned to forgive Severus for Albus' death and had become rather fond of Lucius over the past few months, Harry was still not willing to just throw years of baggage out the window. Severus had given Harry hell at school for years, and had often made the young man miserable. Harry of course knew that this treatment was so that Severus could save face in front of the soon-to-be death eaters in the class, but knowing still didn't take the sting out of some of Severus' actions. Severus could be downright cruel when he wanted to be and, acting or not, his words often hurt. Harry didn't want to be bonded to someone who would hurt him like that.

Draco was now a great friend of Harry, and for that Harry was more inclined to give Lucius a shot. The fact that the man had been tortured definitely gave him a card of sympathy from Harry, but that, too, couldn't cover for everything the elder Malfoy had done. Yes, Harry knew the man had been threatened and forced, but the episode with the diary still made Harry a bit queasy when he remembered it. Also, Harry wondered about Lucius' treatment of Dobby. Had the man really beaten another living being? Harry remember that Dobby had been terrified of Lucius. Was there a violent side to the man that Harry just hadn't seen in a while? All of these were questions to be answered before he agreed to give the "mate thing" a go.

"I am _sick_ of hearing that man say 'sorry'. One more time and I might just shake him."

Harry turned to see Severus sweeping into the library. The older man had been in with Lucius for an hour trying to see if today would be the day his friend finally woke.

"I don't think violence is the answer." Harry deadpanned. The shaking idea had crossed his mind, also. "Besides, he already thrashes enough to constitute as a good shaking. I'm often surprised that he doesn't wake himself up with all that tossing and turning….I wonder what he's dreaming."

Severus sighed, himself, as he eased into a chair near Harry's perch. "Who knows. I thought to use a spell and enter his dreams, but with the forced entering from Voldemort that he recently experienced, I didn't want to stress him even more, or worse, lose his trust when he realizes what I've done."

Harry nodded in agreement. There was a lull of silence, and then Harry sat up straighter and turned to Severus.

"Are you ever sorry?" He suddenly asked. Severus gave a start and turned to face Harry more fully.

"Sorry? About what?"

"Sorry for the things you've said." Harry said this as if it were obvious what Severus should be sorry for.

"Mr. Pot..." Severus paused, took a breath, and started again. "Harry…There are many things I am sorry for. You have to specify…And if this is about Albus, then you already know that I regret that moment with every fiber of my being." Harry took a pause, and then tried to clarify what he meant about "being sorry".

"…..Were you ever sorry for the things you said and did to me when you were my professor?" Severus blinked.

"No…" Harry stood, ready to storm angrily from the room, but Severus reached out to catch Harry's wrist. He ended up latching onto the young man's hand instead. "At the time, no. Harry,…what you have to realize is that I didn't know your background… No, let me finish…Albus had told me that you were spoiled. He described to me a youth that was a carbon copy of his father, arrogant and self-centered." Severus gently moved Harry back to his seat. "I didn't know about the Dursleys , or the cupboard, or anything for that matter. All I knew when I walked into that office the day before you arrived was that I couldn't be cruel to a boy who had been made an orphan….Albus had prepared for this, and had just pushed the right buttons needed for me to save face… I realize now that he was just feeding me what I needed to hear, and if I had looked I would've recognized that, but I was desperate for a way to cover my sympathy for an eleven year old child…No, I wasn't ever sorry…and I'm not sorry that it helped me save face.

Now, if you're asking me if I'm sorry that I hurt you…yes, I can see that I must've hurt you if you feel the need to ask for my apology…then yes, I am sorry that I have hurt you. As I get to know your true background and you….You, Harry, not a mini-me James…I find that you are nothing like you father except for the courage and determination that you have.

Truly, you don't really look _that _much like him, either. Your features are finer, you're of a slighter build than he was, and your eyes are definitely everything and nothing like your mother's. Now that your glasses are gone, I really only see him in your hair and a few of your expressions." Harry had calmed, and was now listening intently to Severus. Neither noticed that the former professor still held the younger man's hand in a gentle grasp. "I am sorry for many of the things I have done in my life, and I am sorry that I have hurt you…Can you forgive me?" Severus waited for Harry to process his soft and sincere speech.

"Yes…I think I can forgive you." They sat together for a long time, lost in their own thoughts and for the first time truly comfortable in each other's presence.

"I still wonder what he dreams."

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AN: Hello again!! Sorry I took so long in putting this chapter up. I've just been stuck with a bit of writer's block and personal drama. Theatre kid…Who'd a thunk it? PLEASE REVIEW THIS ONE!!! I only got two reviews for the last chapter (hence the writer's block)…so tell me what you thought of that one, too! And yes, the Title is from a Shel Silverstein poem. Until next time, dearies!


	12. I'm Just Not the Same Since Rain pt 2

**Chapter 12: I'm Just not the Same Since there's Rain in My Head pt. 2**

Lucius sat curled on the window seat in his bedroom, unconsciously mirroring his youngest mate who was currently one floor down and on the opposite side of the house. He heaved a sighed as he watched the rain run down the windowpane in gentle sheets. He was still in his dream world, but had figured out a way to move in the dream without moving his actual body. He just wasn't ready to show how aware he really was of the outside world.

The real Severus had left the room not too long ago, but Lucius could still feel the representation's eyes watching him. He just sighed again, and shifted his place. He didn't really want to talk to any of his mates, dreamed or not. He didn't want to face their accusing eyes, or hear their reproachful words. He knew he had failed, no need to keep reminding him.

When he had first fallen into unconsciousness, his mates (who he could now see, much to his despair) had immediately come to him looking for wounds and trying to check him over. He had shied away from them, crying and begging forgiveness, thinking that they were charging him in anger. It had taken hours for them to calm him enough to tell him that they weren't mad, just worried. Then their sentences had started cutting out in the middle, and changing subjects halfway through.

Lucius was so confused that first time when dream Harry had been checking his right hand for injury and talking to him softly, only to stop mid-sentence and look up sharply, demanding that he wake up in a harsher and more desperate tone. Lucius had yipped and, jerking his hand away, had fallen off the bed. The demanding had continued for a few minutes before dream Harry returned to his usual, gentle self. Not five minutes later, dream Severus had done the same demanding…also mid-sentence. Lucius was so freaked out that he had hidden _under_ the bed for a day.

Later that night, his dream mates had explained that the sentence changing was due to his live mates talking to him. Lucius had listened the next time it had happened, and realized that his dream mates were right. He also noticed that the living mates never came together, always separate. That had increased his guilt tenfold.

He knew that Harry and Severus couldn't stand each other. How horrible of a person he must be to force them together as _soul mates_ of all things! How his living mates must hate him! He just couldn't face them knowing what a disaster he had caused. If only he had reached out sooner, when he was alone, he could've prevented them from ever knowing. Lucius took a shuddering breath, determined not to cry again.

As dream Severus, as well as waking Severus, had said, "What's done is done, and cannot be undone." Lucius would've found the Shakespeare comment funny in most other circumstances. As it was, Lucius desperately wished he could go back and stop Voldemort doing "what was done."

Lucius felt a bit bad for pushing his dream mates away, but felt that it was almost like feeding a worthless hope. The mates here seemed to love each other as much as they loved him. Even now they held each other as they watched him brood. After the first few days, Lucius had stopped accepting their touches, and had rejected their attempts to talk. Until he passed away in this self-induced coma, or until living mates approached him together Lucius would not give himself the pleasure of speech or affection. He didn't deserve it. Not even the thought of Draco could pull him out. He knew Harry and Severus would care for his son…not to mention that muggleborn, walking library that Draco seemed particularly fond of.

"Lucius, you _must wake up!_" Ah…so Severus was back again. Lucius had become rather adept at telling who was talking, dream or live mate. "You can't stay in there forever, your son needs you!"

'What Severus?' Lucius thought, 'You know that I won't come out for that. He had you, and…and Harry….He doesn't run the risk of your rejection.'

"Lucius Malfoy! If you do not wake up this instant I'll…I'll strangle you!" Well, at least Lucius now knew that his mates really did want him dead. "And don't you dare think that that threat is because I want you dead! I just want you awake, and usually people wake up when their _life is THREATENED!…**COME ON!**_" What was so important, other than Lucius' mistake, that could warrant Severus' demand. He just sighed again.

"Severus, I really don't think that's going to make him want to wake." Lucius gave a start. His mates were here…_Together?!_ Wow, it must be important for them to be in the same room of their own choice. Lucius listened more carefully.

"Well, what do you suggest? Hmm?"

There was a pause, and then Lucius was all of a sudden face first on the bed, feeling it dip to his right.

"Maybe something gentler." A hand was laid on his back, and Lucius felt it start rubbing circles into his sore and upset muscles. That was definitely the Harry approach to things. Gentle and firm. Lucius sighed again, this time in the beginnings of relaxation. "Come on, Lucius. Wake up sweetheart." Ok, something was weird. Something had changed. Lucius knew by his soul that these were his mates, but the approach was different from anything they had tried so far.

Severus sighed, and then took the other side of the bed. Lucius felt his hand join Harry's. Oh, God. "Lucius, whatever it is you feel you've done wrong, forget it. You haven't done anything wrong. So what you didn't reach out to us? I'm sure you had your reasons, and We're more than willing to hear them if you'd just come out of that coma. Harry and I? We've worked a good deal of our issues out. You and I? I forgave you for not reaching out to me the moment I realized that you were mine. The two of you? If your what I get stuck with for the rest of eternity and beyond, then I am one lucky man. Gorgeous, brilliant…I'm set. You just need to wake up so that I can actually see those nice greys. They complement Harry's green nicely I'm sure."

"And Severus' black eyes." Harry muttered. "Come on, Lucius. Just wake up to us. We want to complete this trio, but we need you."

"Wake up, Lover."

The pleas were just too much, and that last endearment sent Lucius over the edge. He felt himself rising to the surface, and his breathing quickened in slight panic, fear, and anticipation. When he could no longer keep himself unconscious, or keep his eyes closed, he gave a start and gasped into awareness….And there were Harry's eyes, looking right back at him, not with anger, but with praise and gentle joy.

"Hello, Lucius." Harry said, and then closed the distance between them to close his gaping mouth in a gentle and soothing kiss. When they broke apart, Harry smiled and Lucius looked on in shock. The blonde turned his head to Severus, and found the other man smiling…_smiling!_…a self-satisfied smile, much like Harry's after their first kiss.

"Good afternoon, Lover." Severus said, before proceeding to kiss him senseless….again much like Harry, but a bit more self-assured than the younger man. When they broke apart, Lucius felt like he couldn't breathe.

"I'm forgiven?" He whispered.

"There is nothing to forgive." Severus assured him before Lucius' two mates bundled him into their arms and prepared for a long talk.

Lucius was sure of it now….He _could _fly. He was doing it right now.

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AN: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! There will be more to come…but please review! If you don't I get writers block. ;) Tootles!


	13. Speak in Gentle Voices

Chapter 13: Speak in Gentle Voices

It was understood between the three mates that their relationship could stand a few days to work on its own before they started hashing what would be what. As much as the three would've loved to sit and get to know each other, there was still a great threat hanging over their heads. Yes, as much as they might hate it, Voldemort had to be the main topic of conversation for this first trio conference.

While still stroking Lucius' back, Harry filled his two mates in on hunt for the last horcruxe, and told how much time he estimated they had before the final showdown. Severus wasted no time after Harry finished speaking to take center stage, and immediately demanded to know the state of Harry's Occlumency. The potions master swore that the ability would be one of Harry's greatest aids.

"If your mental shields drop, even for a second, you'll not stand a chance. I'm sorry to use Lucius as an example, but his shields did drop. We've lost days because of his resulting coma. Guilt induced or not, that coma was an aftereffect of a mental violation. If Voldemort breaks your shields like he did Lucius', I doubt a coma and a couple extra mates will be the final result."

Lucius whined, and tried to shrink into the bed. His shame started to reappear, and he almost wished he hadn't woken up. With his mistake laid out so plainly, he felt like a complete failure.

His mates felt his withdrawal immediately and surged into him, sandwiching him more securely between them. They nuzzled him and cuddled him, wrapping him up until he wasn't exactly sure where he ended and they began.

"Don't you _dare_ retreat back into that coma! You stay right here! With _us!_" Harry's demand was so strong that Lucius instantly obeyed. He stopped retreating, and just settled into their embrace. "Because of you, I agree with Severus. I wouldn't have agreed with him so readily if I didn't have proof of what Voldemort can do. Yes I get dreams from Voldemort, and yes my Occlumency has improved massively through my own efforts, but to see the effects of what he can do to a waking person makes me more inclined to study Occlumency more seriously and accept any help I can get... though the added bonus of getting _my mate's_ will probably make me improve tenfold."

"Do you truly mean that?" Lucius asked after a bit of hesitation.

"With all my heart, our love." And Harry did. Lucius sighed, and his guilt left him for good.

"You will both work with me to improve your skills. Lucius, I know you were beaten and distracted by the possible threat to us, but you need to rebuild your shields after that horrid attack. I'm sure that Voldemort reeked some damage with his forceful entry. I'd like to assess that damage and help fix it, if you'll let me…. I swear to be gentler in my teaching techniques than I usually am," Harry snorted. Severus shot him a halfhearted glare. "_IF_ you both work with me and, especially in your case Harry, pay _attention!" _

"I can pay attention. I taught myself didn't I?" Harry sniffed. Lucius wondered for a moment if his mates would start arguing over his back. He was more than a little surprised when Harry leaned over him and, instead biting Severus or snipping at him, Harry kissed the end of Severus' nose. Lucius was even more floored when Severus just smiled and continued on with his lecture of the importance of mental shields and how he was going to make theirs perfect.

They talked until late into the evening, Severus and Harry filling Lucius and each other in on how the war effort was progressing and Lucius giving his ideas and opinions on what should be done. With his wide range of curses and hexes, Lucius supplemented Harry's ideas of defense for the Order while Severus suggested possible potions to destroy the horcruxe, as well as possible potions to boost Harry's physical stamina in battle. They knew that Harry would need all the strength he could get to face Voldemort.

Around ten in the evening, Harry demanded that the conversation be put on hold in favor of a nice meal and sleep. The young man headed to the kitchen while Severus and Lucius prepared for bed. When Harry returned, the two older mates arranged the food while Harry got ready. By mutual silent agreement, all three lovers would be sleeping in Lucius' bed. It was the biggest, after all.

Dinner passed quickly and pleasantly, and then the dishes were spelled to the kitchen, and the three mates settled in. Lucius was cuddled between the other two, and after a rather lengthy goodnight kiss shared with both his mates, the blonde molded himself into the middle of the embrace. It seemed as if there was a Lucius sized hole between them just for him. They all three slept their first peaceful sleep in years tangled in each others' arms.

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AN: I am SO sorry! I know this is really late, but I've been really sick with a fever and so on. I've been sleeping on a couch in pain, if it's any consolation to those of you who've been waiting. Also, I couldn't get fanfiction to upload my chapters for some reason. Please review! I promise the next chapter will be longer….I'll even make it a lemony chapter if you want. ;) Nighty, night!


	14. Are You Sitting Comfortably?

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

AN: Hello my wonderful readers! Here it is! Oh! And there is a LEMON in this one, so read responsibly! Thanks, and enjoy!

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Harry had returned to Hogwarts two days later to finish his winter semester. He only had two more weeks before Christmas break, and Severus was determined that Harry should spend the time studying for finals when he wasn't taking short missions. All three mates agreed that Harry would get more studying done if he wasn't so close to their shared bed.

They had decided to wait until Christmas break to complete their bond. They had refrained from doing anything physical beyond kissing and cuddling for the two days that Harry was with them, and Severus and Lucius had agreed to wait for Harry to return before doing more. It was custom, as well as necessary, for all three mates to be present when the bond was completed.

Lucius was going mad. Even his dream mates refused to satisfy him in any way, and the frustration he felt made him want to storm around the house growling until _someone_ paid some attention to him. Severus had repeatedly had to pry Lucius off his lap in the library when they were looking up ways to destroy the horcruxes together.

Once, Severus had even stood up from his chair where Lucius had been trying to make himself comfortable on the black-eyed man's lap, and had almost dumped Lucius on the floor. He had then carried Lucius over to another chair where he plunked the blond down, backed up, and with one hand held up in a "stop" gesture and the other pointing at him had commanded Lucius to "STAY!" in a very firm, if a bit weary voice. Lucius had, after all, been creeping out of the chair toward Severus like a cat on the hunt. Lucius had dropped back into the chair, huffed, and then turned into his animagus form and stalked off.

Lucius could still hear Severus' laughter following him out of the library over his cub tiger form. He had refused to show _anyone_ his form after that, even though the other house occupants had begged him to show them what Severus found so funny. He had avoided Severus for two days after that, sleeping in a different room, and sniffing and putting his nose in the air when he passed the potions master. Severus just snickered and continued on.

'_Well!' _ Lucius thought, _'How rude!'_

Severus caught him in a hallway at the end of the two days, and had cuddled him and rubbing his back, murmuring apologies until Lucius relented and agreed to return to their room. Apology accepted. Severus still smirked from time to time, but Lucius put up with it…he knew Severus was smirking because he thought Lucius was cute, and that did boost Lucius' ego.

"You should show Harry your anigmus form, Lucius. I hear he has a soft spot for cute animals. He might even scratch behind your ears." Severus wryly commented during another research session. Lucius had tried to ignore him, but the promise of ear scratching was tempting.

"What about you?" He had asked.

"Of course I'd scratch your ears, lover." Severus had said tenderly, and then added hastily, "but not right now!" when Lucius had closed his book and started to rise.

They had avoided working on Occlumency without Harry, as well. Lucius found himself frightened when Severus tried to even touch his mental shields for some reason, and so they had decided to work on Harry's and his at the same time. Severus thought that if Lucius saw Harry and Severus interacting with Occlumency, then maybe he wouldn't be so frightened. It might also help to have another calming force, as Severus would have to focus on entering Lucius' mind and couldn't give much comfort until he was in.

Snow was falling softly outside as Lucius lay curled up on Severus' legs. Lucius had found his dark eyed mate stretched out on the window seat in the living room reading, and had changed into his cub form before stalking over, sitting on the floor at Severus' side, and mewing. Severus had started, looked down, and then set his book down and lifted the cub onto his lap. Lucius purred as the potions master absently scratched his ears while he read.

Today Harry and Draco would be returning to the house for Christmas break. The Order adults had gone to fetch them and the other Order children from the platform, and so the house was empty save for the two currently sitting at the window. Lucius and Severus were both equally excited. This would be their first Christmas in a house where they were loved and wanted by more than that one odd person or two.

Hermione would also be staying at the house. Voldemort had tried to attack her parents' house earlier in the week, and had burned half of it to the ground. Luckily, her parents hadn't been home, but it was agreed that they should be moved. They, along with their daughter, would be staying at headquarters for a while, and anything that could be salvaged from the burnt house would be moved into a spare room and Grimmauld Place.

Lucius could tell from Draco's letters that his son felt horrible for Hermione, but was nonetheless thrilled to be sharing the holidays with her. The Slytherin hadn't yet made a move, much to Lucius' annoyance, but it seemed that Draco might just get his chance over the break. He secretly informed Lucius that while he was out doing Severus and Lucius' shopping for them, he had gotten the brilliant witch an "extra special" gift on top of the ones he had already bought for his friends and family. Lucius was intrigued about the gift, and pleased that Draco was trying for such a great partner.

"We're home!" Harry called as he opened the front door and led the Grangers and Draco in. "Anyone still around?" He asked a little cheekily. He knew of at least two people waiting for his return.

Lucius changed back into his natural state mid-leap, and strode to the entrance hall with Severus hot on his heals. In the entrance was the most wonderful sight Lucius had ever seen. His mate, his son, and his hopeful in-laws stood with beaming faces surrounded by luggage and covered in snow. He strode up to Harry and swept him up into a huge hug, twirling the Gryffindor around, before turning to his son and scooping him up into an equally huge a hug. He hadn't seen his son since the beginning of the semester, and seeing him now made him realize just how much he had missed the young man.

He gave Draco a once over at arms length, and then turned to the Grangers to offer his hand. He shook Mr. Grangers' and kissed the back of Mrs. Grangers' before turning and greeting Hermione. Lucius could feel Harry's eyes on him, and knew his mate was pleased that his actions matched his promises of acceptance and equality when it came to muggles and muggleborns.

Most surprisingly, Severus followed Lucius' lead, hugs and all. He had always considered Draco as a son, and now that he was Lucius' mate Draco was his son. It wasn't lost on either older wizard that Draco could've been a product of a union between them if they had known sooner. But past was past, they were together now, they still had Draco, and that was all that mattered.

"Where is the rest of the Order? I would've expected the Weasleys at least to come barging in singing carols or some such nonsense and demanding a Christmas goose on the spot," Lucius said as he closed the front door, which had been left open in the excitement of the moment.

Severus snorted and started levitating everyone's luggage up to their rooms. He invited the Grangers to follow him so that he could show them their rooms. Draco jumped in and offered to show Hermione hers, only because it was across from his, of course. Harry snorted at Draco's actions as well as Lucius' question.

"They decided to get everyone's luggage home now. It seems that Percy has seen the error of his ways, and is returning home for the holidays. Molly wanted to have a family celebration at the Burrow. As for the rest of the Order, Tonks and Remus are headed to their new home…Yes, Lucius, they finally moved in together…I think he's going to propose over Christmas…. And everyone else has family or work to attend to. It's just us for the time being. Oh! We are going to have a party here…"

"I know," Lucius cut in, "Christmas Day at 2 for brunch and gift exchange, and then another Christmas celebration and exchange the day after. Let me get your bags, you look a little tired."

Harry smiled in thanks as he followed Lucius up to their room. As soon as he saw their bed, he threw himself onto it…face down, clothes and all… and groaned in satisfaction. He turned his head to face Lucius when the blond settled beside him and started rubbing his back. Severus came in and announced that he was off to make dinner for the "ravenous horde that he'd been saddled with." Harry thanked him. Then he turned his attention back to Lucius.

"How are you?" He asked tenderly.

"Well, very well. Perfect now that almost everyone I care for is here and my mates are with me." Harry smiled.

"That's good. How goes the hunt for potions?"

"Great. I think we've found a sure way to destroy a horcruxe." Harry sat up in excitement.

"Really!? That's _fantastic_ Lucius!" He threw his arms around the older wizard. "I can't wait to see it work!" Lucius preened. "How go the Occlumency sessions." Lucius stiffened. Harry felt it and pulled back a little, but continued to hold Lucius in his arms. "Lucius?"

"I…I can't do it Harry." Lucius said in defeat, casting his eyes to the bedspread.

"Do what, Lucius?" Harry lifted Lucius' chin to look into his eyes.

"I get so frightened when Severus even starts _getting ready _to cast the spell that I just freeze up. I'm terrified, even though I know Severus would never hurt me. It's like having a panic attack. I'm so sorry, Harry." Lucius felt like a failure. Harry pulled the blond into his arms, knowing what Lucius was probably thinking.

"It's ok. We'll find a way. We'll work on it over Christmas break, and I'll go through your sessions with you. Maybe you just need a calming force."

"That's what I said." The two looked up to see Severus standing in to doorway. "Dinner is served."

--

Dinner was a grand affair with seven animated people. Hermione's father and Severus seemed to have the same sense of humor, and they kept the others constantly roaring from one remark to the next. It seemed that having mates took the bite out of Severus' remarks, and gave him the more witty sarcasm that could keep people holding their stomachs for hours. By the time dinner was over, everyone was exhausted from good food and long laughter.

This is how the days progressed. The joy of Christmas, even with the Grangers' house tragedy, was everywhere in Grimmauld Place. Laughter, smiles, good food, and good company filled every one of Lucius' days. Severus and Lucius showed Harry what they had found, and Harry presented them with the last horcruxe. The day Harry pulled it out, there was so much rejoicing that the walls trembled with the overload of light magic. Mrs. Black's portrait fell off the wall and exploded, and Kreacher had a heart attack, which again caused the group to rejoice. Lucius was having a GREAT Christmas!

…that was until Severus suggested they try Occlumency again.

Harry was ready, and had been practicing even harder on clearing his mind while at school. It was sort of like daydreaming, he had reasoned to Severus. Severus thought about the analysis, and agreed.

The three moved into the center of the living room, while the Grangers and Draco went to another sitting room for afternoon tea and a bit of light, or in Hermione's case heavy, reading. Severus was as gentle as he had promised he would be, and started with Harry's session first. Because of his own practice with the dreams and thoughts from Voldemort, Harry was immediately able to throw Severus out of his mind and keep him out. By the time they were done Harry could keep Severus out and even chase him into his own mind for a good twenty minutes...much more than the few minutes that he usually could with Voldemort. They were both sweating, but smiling, and were very satisfied with how the session went.

They took a bit of a rest for tea, and then it was Lucius' turn. It was instantly obvious that Lucius' session would be nothing like Harry's. The first time Severus began to raise his wand Lucius started to shake so much that, if Harry hadn't grabbed him around the middle at the last moment, Lucius would've fallen to the ground. He sagged into his younger mates' arms, and turned his face into Harry's shoulder in shame. Harry and Severus were able to coax him back up to face Severus, but again he started to buckle in fear. On the third try, Lucius collapsed to the floor and cried.

"This isn't going to work, Severus." Harry said as he sat beside Lucius and pulled the shaking, sobbing man into his arms. "There's got to be another way. We can't just leave his shields like they are, and at this rate he can't even use them because his fear stops him before he even starts."

Severus sat next to his two mates and regarded Lucius as he pet the blonde's hair. Lucius looked up at him and sniffed, leaning into the touch. Severus had an idea.

"He remembers the pain that he felt. His mind won't let him even try because it forgets that this can be painless, even pleasant."

"Like daydreaming."

"Yes, Harry, like daydreaming. Let's get him up to our bed. I have an idea."

Harry and Severus helped Lucius to rise from the floor, and together they guided their distraught mate up the stairs and to their bedroom. As soon as they passed the threshold Severus ordered Harry and Lucius to wait. He shut the door behind them and proceeded to the bed, where he began casting spells.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked curiously, still holding onto Lucius and soothing the older wizard's small sobbing sighs.

"Lucius reacts the way he does to the thought of mental spells because his subconscious perceives the spells as a destructive force to his already destroyed sanctuary." Severus said in his "Professor mode" voice as he added four posters to their bed and surrounded the entire frame in dark curtains.

"What?" Obviously Harry couldn't process quick and wordy explanations when most of his focus was already on Lucius. Severus sighed, and continued making their bed resemble more of a fabric fortress.

"When Voldemort attacked Lucius with a mental spell, it seems that he not only broke into Lucius' mental shields, but also destroyed a decent hunk of them. In his already beaten state, Lucius' mind reached a point where it couldn't tell what pain went with what wound. All Lucius' subconscious knew was that its physical and mental defenses were being ruined.

Now every time Lucius faces a mental spell, his subconscious goes haywire thinking that the spell is another attack. Lucius needs to rebuild his mental and physical "fortress" before the fear will cease to exist." As Severus finished his explanation he cast an expansion charm on the inside of his "fabric fortress" and dimmed the lights in the room. He walked back over to his mates and took one of Lucius' hands into both of his own. "What I've just done with our bed is created a physical fortress to represent Lucius' personal mental and physical ones. The ones that he perceives in his subconscious. As with the fortress I've just created I plan to use spells to reconstruct Lucius' mental fortress, but to do that I need your help, Harry, and I need Lucius to trust us."

"What do you want me to do?" Lucius softly asked, speaking for the first time during the conversation.

Severus drew Lucius out of Harry's arms, and led him closer to the bed. He then pulled a huge comforter, large enough for five people, out of the "fortress" and threw it over the back of a nearby chair. He then beckoned Harry to his side.

"I want you to trust your mates. Harry and I are going to, with your permission, undress you and wrap you in this comforter. Then you are going into your "fortress", which is calmly lit on the inside, and when you feel comfortable you are going to invite us in. From there, I will ask a series of permission questions which you can either grant or deny. A huge part of Harry and I coming into your mind to mend the damage is you letting us in in the first place. We will _not_ be your aggressors. We _will _ be your healers and your mates, but only if you'll let us. Alright?"

Lucius eyed his mates for a few minutes, processing what he had just been told, and then nodded.

"Harry, I've decided to bring you with me when I enter Lucius' mind. This is a trinity bond and so whenever one of us needs tending to, it will always require both of the other mates. That is how fate put us together, and so that is how we will live. Are you willing to go with me? Do you trust me enough to bring part of your mind with me?"

"Yes to both. Lucius…When you're ready."

Lucius took some deep breaths, and then nodded. "I'm ready."

Severus and Harry moved to hug Lucius once more, and then the set to work undressing their beauty. As in Lucius' dreams, his mates removed his shirt with Harry working on the bottom buttons and Severus working on the top. He shivered as the material of his shirt caressed him on its trip to the floor. Two kisses, one to each shoulder, were pressed to his skin as Severus undid his belt and Harry reached for the fly.

Lucius' trousers were slid slowly down his legs, his mates' hands guiding the fabric with gentle touches. They lifted his legs one at a time to slide the material over already bare feet. Then the hands traced his legs back up, and brought his boxers down the same path, rendering him completely naked. With a start Lucius realized that he had closed his eyes. When he opened them his mates were already standing, and they looked at him with an intense love. Severus picked the comforter back up, and together with Harry's help he wrapped it around Lucius' back.

Once Lucius was wrapped in the blanket his mates pulled him into one last hug, and then stepped away and waited. Lucius gave a small smile, which was returned with affection, and turned to crawl into his "fortress". He settled himself on the middle of the mattress, and then gave a look around the world that Severus had created for him.

It was…beautiful. The space on the inside had been expanded to fit at least four king size beds, and the curtains made him feel like he was sitting in a field in the middle of the night. The black curtains were showered with constellations and starlight. The bed was the softest thing he'd ever been on, and the gentle light from the curtains around and above him soothed away all of his tension. He could see without straining, but it wasn't obnoxiously bright. The comforter, sheets, and other blankets were white and sky blue, and Lucius fought the urge to roll around in them and relish in their softness. Malfoys did _not_ indulge in such childish behavior…

…after thirty seconds of fighting, Lucius gave in.

'_Oh what glory!'_ he thought. The covers were softer than down and five times as fluffy, and they felt wonderful against his bare skin.

"Mmm." The only thing that could make this better would be to have his mates with him. His mates! Lucius sat up with a start, and remembered that they were waiting for his call. He wrapped himself in the comforter, and called out, "Severus, Harry, come and join me."

The curtains parted, and Severus and Harry climbed into Lucius' fortress, both dressed in boxers and tank tops. Lucius was surprised that he hadn't heard them changing, but then remembered how involved with his surroundings he had been. As if reading his mind, Severus began to explain their surroundings after casting a silencing charm.

"In here, we can't hear what's going on outside. I've locked our bedroom door, and with the other people in the house I'm sure we're safe. If someone needs to get us they can, but for now we are in a sanctuary." Lucius sighed and smiled. "You like it?"

Lucius nodded and reached his left hand out toward Severus, who caught it between his own. Leaning his right cheek to Harry, he was graced with a kiss before Harry started to caress his face.

"Are you ready for my questions, lover?" Severus asked gently. Lucius nodded again. He didn't feel like talking, preferring instead to listen to his mates.

Severus moved in front of Lucius, and reached for one edge of the comforter that Lucius was wrapped in while Harry took the other.

"May we come in?" Severus asked. There was a pause, and then Lucius nodded. Harry and Severus parted the comforter and put it over their shoulders. Now all three were under the blanket.

"May we touch you and come closer?" Lucius nodded. Severus and Harry slid their hands up the inside of Lucius' legs, and spread them to make room for both of them between Lucius' thighs. They left their hands resting on Lucius' thighs, and Lucius' breathing became a little more labored. His mates were touching him in such an intimate way, and Lucius almost felt like this was his first time ever being touched by a lover.

"May we give you pleasure?" Lucius almost screamed, and ended up moaning instead. He hadn't been expecting that question, but nodded vigorously at the offer. The comforter was pushed off his shoulders, and then he was gently laid back onto the oh-so-soft bed.

His mates' hands mapped his body, and he trembled as they found and caressed sensitive spots that even he didn't know existed. Their hands stroked up his sides and down his chest, over strong, lean legs and limber arms. They caressed his face and neck, stroked his hair, and rubbed his ears and behind his earlobes. When lips, teeth, and tongue were added he _did_ scream, and fisted his hands into both of his lovers' hair.

With Severus on his left and Harry on his right, Lucius felt like his body was on a slow burn to a fantastic ending. He writhed beneath their attention, and mewled and moaned until his mates went nearly mad with the sounds he emitted. When the interlocked fingers of both his mates glided down the length of his manhood, Lucius arced off the bed and howled. His mates pushed his hips back down to the bed and held him as twin tongues smoothed down from base to tip.

Lucius thrashed against the restraining hands and growled and hissed and swore very colorfully in French. When the tongues immediately left him he threw his eyes open and fixed his smiling mates with an accusing glare, growling and hissing this time in demand that they finish what they started.

"Easy, our little tiger." Severus said as he smoothed a hand over the sensitive juncture of thigh and hip. Lucius hissed at Severus like a pissed off cat, baring his teeth to his tormentor. His protests quickly turned to purrs when Severus started rubbing behind his ear. Harry rubbed Lucius' stomach, and the two dark-haired mates waited for Lucius to calm enough to focus on Severus once again.

"I have one more question for you." Lucius actually mewled his consent to ask, staring at Severus through half lidded, lust laden eyes. "May we join thoughts with you?"

That was it_, THE _question that Severus had been building up to. If Lucius let them in now, it would not only ease Severus and Harry's entrance, but also show Lucius' complete trust in them not to hurt him intentionally or at all. Severus and Harry continued their soothing strokes as they waited. After a pause Lucius said,

"Come into me."

Severus wasted no time, and taking Harry's free hand he made eye contact with Lucius, and together he and Harry slid into the naked wizard's mind. He was appalled by the site he encountered. Mentally glancing at Harry, he could tell the younger wizard felt the same.

Lucius' mental shields were _shredded _and _covering the ground_. The poor things looked like they had been ravaged by an angry pack of wolves. The walls that had been underneath the shields, which looked like they were made of flesh in Lucius' mind, were twitching and….strangely enough, _crying_. Shimmering liquid, which Severus assumed was the walls bonding material, slid down the walls like huge tears, unable to bridge the damage. If Lucius hadn't had mates, he would've gone mad by now. As it was Severus was surprised his mental health had lasted this long _with_ mates. For the umpteenth time, Severus and Harry cursed Voldemort to the lowest pit of hell. _NO ONE_ hurt their mate like this without drawing revenge from the two angry wizards.

They felt Lucius shudder in response to their anger, and immediately reigned it in. Using a little effort to make sure that his and Harry's bodies continued to caress and sooth Lucius', Severus led Harry over to the nearest wall to see what could be done. It looked like the wall could be fixed if the muscles would just relax.

'I'll show you what do you, and then we can work on separate walls to get this done faster.' Severus thought to Harry as he blew on his hands. With a thought, he cleared the wreckage of the shields from the ground. Next, he approached the largest gash, and placed his cool hands gently under the hanging flap of wall. A relieved sigh was heard and the muscle relaxed. The flap extended to its full length, and could now be lifted back into place. Severus cooed to the wall and, after removing his shirt, pressed his cool skin to it. The "tears" started to multiply in number, and so the entire wall was covering in a healthy sheen. Severus smiled. There was hope. Rubbing the inside of the gash in the wall, Severus coated it with the liquid and then lifted the flap back into place. The gash slowly sealed with Severus rubbing encouraging circles over seam until that part of the wall was solid again. Severus kissed the newly healed section with affection.

'Wow,' Harry thought in reverence.

'That is how we will heal the walls. Then we will strengthen them by making sure each wall is covered with that shimmer liquid. After this, we will be able to practice Occlumency with Lucius to build an armor around these walls since the old armor is now gone.' Harry walked up to Severus and hugged him.

'You're brilliant.' He whispered in awe. Severus snorted, but still wrapped his arms around his young mate. After kissing his crown, he moved back and headed to the next gash. Harry followed his lead.

For two hours they worked, constantly cooing and coaxing. They had settled Lucius into a comfortable trance with their stroking and caresses, and the wizard held obediently still as they worked on his mental fortress. Every time a wall was rubbed into relaxation or completely healed, Harry and Severus would hear the blond gently sigh.

When the last wall had been healed, and all the wall had been coated with the shimmering liquid that would help strengthen the work they had done, Severus and Harry ran their hands over the walls once more, and then gently pulled out. They kissed the walls goodbye for now as they went.

Coming back to consciousness, Severus and Harry found Lucius resting peacefully between them, his eyes hooded and his breathing steady. They cuddled him as he began to wake from his trance, and smiled at him when he blinked into awareness. Harry cooed at him and Severus stroked his cheek.

"I'm so proud of you, Lucius. Thank you for trusting us." Lucius leaned into the touch and smiled, basking in the praise.

"You're so strong, Lucius." Harry scooted forward so that Lucius was flush against both of them.

Lucius stretched and smiled, and then remembered their promise of pleasure to him. He purred and tugged at their hair. He had been good, and now he wanted some more physical attention.

Severus chuckled, and trailed a hand down Lucius' torso. The blond squealed in the back of his throat with delight, and gave a body roll under the touch. Harry's smile turned into a smirk, and he moved his head forward to attach his mouth behind Lucius' ear. The wizard gasped, and then growled. His mates started to kiss, lick, and bite at him, and Lucius was soon back in his hissing and swearing state.

"I'm sure what you're saying in that language is _not_ family friendly." Harry said as he moved up the other wizard's torso. He gave a predatory lick up Lucius' throat, and Lucius snarled and cursed again. "Well, really! I think I might just have to stem that flow of horrid swear words." Lucius pushed his head up in demand and stared at Harry challengingly, swearing even more colorfully until Severus swatted him on the flank. Then he rowled in pleasure and switched to Italian, daring Severus to do it again. Harry pinned him with a searing kiss.

Lucius was so preoccupied with Harry that he screamed into the kiss when he felt wet heat engulf his manhood. His hand slid down only to encounter Severus' hair, which he fisted in his free hand. The other was already in Harry's hair. Lucius twisted and wiggled and bucked, and then Severus ran his nails hard down the inside of his thighs and Harry gripped his hair and pulled for better access and he was screaming his release into Harry's mouth and digging his nails into his mates' backs. A white light surrounded him and his mates, and any leftover physical wounds were healed. When Severus and Harry screamed their releases back at him at the tail end of his own, one into his mouth and the other around his manhood, Lucius arced off the bed and almost passed out.

Flopping together with Harry beside him and Severus resting between his legs, the onyx-eyed man's head resting on his thigh as he stroked the black hair, Lucius felt completely spent…and completely rejuvenated. They had been patient with him, and had healed his wounds left over from the Voldemort attack. He was no longer frightened by the idea of an Occlumency session, and rather looked forward to the next one. Especially if it ended like this one…or even better, if they completed the bonding next time.

'Mmm, yes.' Lucius thought as they drifted off to sleep together in the warm fortress Severus had made. He was really looking forward to that session which would end in a bonding. '_It matters. They matter. I matter…and…yum…'_

Lucius' toes curled in delight as he slipped into sleep.

--

AN: Again, thanks for reading. I'm really sorry this took so long, but I was having a family crisis, and I was really sick there for a while. We had to put our family cat (who was old, but not THAT old) to sleep. :'( He was a great cat and friend, and for a while I didn't want to do anything. I'm back now, and I hope you like this chapter! Please review! I need some sunshine in my life! Muah


	15. I Don't Want a Lot for Christmas

AN. Slinks out from behind the curtain, and smiles sheepishly. Uh, hi. :) So I know that it's been a long while, but I think I have a decent enough chapter here to post. Enjoy!

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Chapter 15: I Don't Want a Lot for Christmas. There's Just One Thing that I Need.

Draco was having a very interesting winter break. A very warm and cozy winter break. The house was filled with laughter and people and presents, and Draco often found himself wandering around in a sugar and social gathering induced haze. This Christmas was like nothing he had ever experienced, and he wondered if Grimmauld Place now rivaled the Burrow in the Christmas "cheer and cookies" department.

At Malfoy Manor, Christmas had always been a somber and strained affair. His father would gift his wife with the customary jewelry two days before Christmas, and then disappear into his study until midnight on Christmas Eve. Draco would then meet him in one of the smaller sitting rooms to have a small gift exchange. Draco always cherished those small moments of father/son time, but often felt saddened by the small amount of sorrow in his father's eyes that Lucius couldn't hide.

Draco had known from the beginning that Narcissa was not the one (or one of "the two", as it were) for his father, and to tell the truth, he felt better for it. Narcissa had often used both Malfoy males as she would use a bauble in her vast collection of trinkets. She'd coerce them into going out to a social lunch from time to time, show each of them off, and then put them back on the shelf until she had need for them again.

'Disgusting,' Draco shivered.

Lucius had tried to make the best of the situation during Draco's childhood, but Narcissa had quickly shot down all hope of shielding Draco at a very early age.

Narcissa had caught a three year old Draco playing with some of her expensive skin powder from France one afternoon, and had unleashed a wrath that Draco was sure would've made Voldemort himself hide in the nearest cupboard. The vicious ring in her voice as she reprimanded the child had filled half of the corridors in the great mansion.

Lucius, hearing his wife's screams of outrage and his small child's cries of terror, had rushed into the room where a mess of powder now covered not only every surface near the vanity, but also his young son who looked like he had been thrown to the floor. Seeing Draco's tear streaked face, Lucius had disregarded Narcissa completely in favor of rushing past her to scoop up his son.

Narcissa's anger reached almost beyond human capacity as she watched Lucius coo over the distressed toddler. She had promptly turned her wrath on the grown man who had come between herself and her target. The argument had escalated until Narcissa unleashed the harshest words she could muster.

"Stop defending him, you two-man whore!" Lucius had sucked in a breath, while Draco squeaked. He didn't know what those words meant, but it must've been bad to shock his hero. Narcissa, hearing Draco over Lucius, had gotten right in Draco's face for the child was close to eye level in Lucius' arms. "That's right, you little idiot. Your great bastard of a father is the destined receiver of not one, but TWO MEN! You weren't even meant to be born, according to his DESTINY!!" Narcissa, heedless of the magic hum in the room and the trembling of the objects on the vanity, had turned her attention back to Lucius, and with a truly malicious smile had sarcastically snarled, "Backs to the wall, gents."

The vanity, the windows, and every piece of glass in the room had exploded in a roar of angry magical energy. Narcissa was thrown across the room, and knocked against the furthest wall. Draco burst into silent tears, and Lucius cradled Draco's head to his shoulder.

Approaching his harpy of a wife, Lucius had knelt near her outstretched legs. He smirked to see the first real show of fear in her eyes in a long while. Leaning in close, with Draco clinging to his front, Lucius issued the witch a warning.

"Don't you ever insult my mates, myself, or my son ever again. We wouldn't want the Northern Wing of the Manor to explode, now would we?" Narcissa had nodded, and after giving orders to the house elves to clean the mess, Lucius swept out and moved to his study. Lucius knew that Narcissa would find a way to get back at him, but at the time he had a more important person to attend to.

Lucius had explained his mates to his son on that day, as well as belying Narcissa's words of hate towards Draco's birth. Lucius had explained that, if he had married his mates, he would've been the one to bear Draco into this world. There was no way Lucius wouldn't have Draco in his life. He assured Draco that, one way or another, Lucius was determined to have him as his son.

Draco had never gone to his mother's rooms again, and father and son had tried to produce a front together in order to protect each other from a good deal of Narcissa's wrath. Draco supported his father in his pine for his mates the best he could, and had kept the secret of his parent's discord. He had never called Narcissa "Mother" ever again, opting instead to wait for his "real" fathers to come along and join his first true parent.

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This Christmas was interesting for Draco, but it was also by far the best. He had his real parents! Granted, the fact that one of his "parents" was his age as well as his former worst enemy/now best friend was a bit strange, but that was okay in Draco's eyes.

Harry was a great friend, as well as a good influence and a bit of wild spice for his father. Draco felt that Lucius often held too much in, and was in too much control over his emotions. Harry might be able to teach Lucius how to yell in wild abandon yet.

Having Severus as his second (third?) father was a dream come true. Draco had always admired the man for his potions skills (a passion that Draco had always shared), as well as Severus' grudging loyalty to those he truly considered worth while or family. Draco suspected that Severus' many rescues of Harry had more to them then just Dumbledore's orders. Severus must've felt some connection to the Wizarding savior even before he was revealed as the third mate.

Even now, Draco snickered to himself at the memory of Severus after each of Harry's close encounters. Severus would curse the "green eyed heathen" from Hogwarts to Timbuktu, but when Harry found himself in another mess the man would rush to the teen's side, even following him to the dreaded Shrieking Shack. (Granted, Black might have had something to do with the motivation for that rush, as well)

Yes, life was getting better for the males in the Malfoy family, and for Draco it seemed to be getting better at a fast rate. The fact that his crush was also living in the same house with him did nothing but boost his joy a bit higher with every new morning.

Draco did feel bad for the Granger's loss of their house, but having Hermione so near was driving him nearly mad. He, Harry, and Hermione had spent the last few days together sledding in the backyard, building snowmen, and trying their best to make the perfect Christmas cookies. The fact that Draco didn't know how to cook didn't slow the three down any, in fact it seemed to make Hermione laugh to think the best potions student couldn't mix flour with sugar without making the mixture explode all over the blonde's face and front. The fact that Draco would sometimes cast a small explosion spell on the mix when Hermione "wasn't looking" was no never mind. Even Hermione's parents, as well as Lucius and Severus, had joined in on the last few days of fun.

In the evening, everyone would retire to the extensive library to continue the search on how to destroy a horcruxe. Lucius and Severus would usually search during the day as well, but had kicked the teens out, saying:

"You can come back when you've wasted all of that Christmas energy on something else besides my nerves." Maybe that was really Severus who said that.

Draco was happy. Really happy. The Order would come and go, many of them helping with the hunt on how to destroy a horcruxe, and Harry and Severus would hold hour sessions with his father in the afternoon to work on Occlumency and Legimency. The Grangers would often help Lucius and Severus in the library, or go out to shop for a new home.

Harry had insisted that they could stay as long as they wanted, and the Grangers had assured him that they wouldn't leave until after Christmas. Draco found that he liked a full house, and looked forward to the actual day of Christmas when everyone in the Order had promised to stop by for a dinner.

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It was around 12:30am on December seventeenth, and Draco found that though the house was warm and peaceful, he couldn't coax sleep into taking him for the night. This surprised him, for he had been having the best nights of sleep over the past couple weeks than he had had in years and had been sleeping like a log until midmorning. He lay in bed for a few minutes, before sighing to himself in exasperation and throwing the covers off. Maybe a glass of water would help him settle his restless body and relax him enough so that he could finally sleep.

On the way down the staircase nearest to his room, Draco noticed a glow coming from the library entrance. Curious, he slowed his pace and drew nearer to the open French doors. As he reached the landing, Draco noticed soft music coming from the origin of the light. He paused to listen, and realized that what he was hearing was Christmas music, though the song was not one he recognized.

Draco tucked himself next to the wall, and slowly peered around the doorframe and into the library. At first it looked as if the massive room were empty, but after further inspection he found the reason for the softly glowing torches.

There, lounging on the largest and softest sofa, was Hermione.

She was dressed in a tank top, with a down comforter covering her legs and the rest of the sofa. She had straightened her hair earlier in the day to make it more manageable, and it now hung in flat, multicolored sheets of light brown and blonde. Though it had snowed every night, almost every day had been sunny and Hermione's hair had lightened in the sun's rays.

Her hair now shielded most of her face from Draco's view, but he could still tell it was her from the book resting in her lap and the slightly upturned nose inherited from her mother. Draco blushed to realize that he had paid that much attention to her facial structure.

Hermione's wand softly glowed on the coffee table in front of her, and Draco realized that the music was coming from the vine wood.

"What's in your wand?" Draco blurted out. Hermione started and dropped her book to the floor. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you."

Draco made his way over to the sofa as Hermione turned to him. She watched him as he picked up her fallen book, and thanked him when he returned it to her. Draco sat on the end of the sofa where Hermione's feet had been resting.

"I'm sorry, what?" Hermione asked as she regained her composure. She eyed Draco with a bewildered expression that made Draco want to either kiss it away, or run and hide for his idiotic question. 'What's in your wand' indeed. Draco fought back a blush.

"I asked 'what's in your wand?'. I can see what it's made of, but out of curiosity, what is its core?" Draco clasped his hands together to keep them from fidgeting. 'What a stupid way to start a conversion. Give yourself a cookie, Draco. Ehk!'

"Dragon heartstring," Hermione answered, giving Draco what he swore was a slow, flirtatious smile.

Dragon…Draco…heartstrings…_Whoosh_, the blush was back with a vengeance. Draco turned his face away from her and towards the coffee table, trying to give the pretext that he was examining the wand. He wanted to smile back, but his usually cool demeanor fought against the urge. He didn't want to seem like an even bigger fool and smile at her goofily until she gave him her patented "You're an idiot, and you're freaking me out a bit" look and left the library.

"Why do you ask?" Hermione's voice jogged him back into the present.

"Well, I noticed that you had cast a charm to make music play from it, and…" Draco faltered there. He knew the same charm himself, and knew it had nothing to do with the wand it was cast from. He had just wanted her attention on him, and it was the first thing that popped out of his mouth before his brain could catch up with his emotions.

Draco sighed, knowing that he must truly look like an idiot, and made to get up and leave. He felt like wallowing in his embarrassment induced depression alone, thank you. Maybe he'd be lucky and the ground would open up on the way to the kitchen or his room and swallow him whole, or maybe he'd drown in a freak accident sometime during the rest of the night involving his glass of water. He could already hear Hermione's voice in his head repeating "What. An. Idiot." over and over.

He hadn't even made it to the edge of the sofa before a soft hand was laid on his arm, the unspoken request for a moment louder than any alarm Draco had ever heard. The hair on the back of his neck stood, and Draco took a second to school himself before turning to the owner of the hand with an eyebrow raised in typical Malfoy fashion. Hermione returned it and added her own playful smirk before returning her expression to a more peaceful and inviting look.

"Stay, please. It's nice to have you around. That is, unless you're getting too tired?" Draco sank back into the couch and Hermione smiled, leaning back into the arm of the sofa. "So why were you up? Couldn't sleep?"

"Yeah. I was on my way to get some water when I saw your light on. You?"

"Lost track of time. This is a great book."

"They're all great books to you." Draco teased. Hermione just smiled. Draco loved to read almost as much as she did. "What are you listening to? I recognize some of the songs, but others..." Draco shrugged, and then started snickering as a Hawaiian sounding song came on with a guy singing about a "Christmas Island". Hermione smirked and swatted him gently with her book, a couple of her fingers holding her place as she swung it.

"It's a mix of the Elf and Love Actually movie soundtracks…Muggle" She said at Draco's confused expression. "It also has some of my other favorite Christmas songs."

"Oh. Nice." Draco smiled, and then yawned. Hermione conjured two glasses of water and handed one to Draco, who thanked her before drinking about half of the glass's contents. She smiled, and then settled back with her book. When a old-fashioned-sounding song came on with a woman singing about "Santa Baby", Hermione started humming along.

Draco tried to stifle another yawn, not wanting to go just yet but getting more exhausted by the second. Without missing a beat, or raising her eyes from the book, Hermione threw the comforter half off and beckoned Draco closer. Draco froze and blinked, not knowing whether he should take the invitation or if the invitation was actually what he thought/hoped it was. Was he supposed to take half of the comforter and lay against the opposite side of the couch, or maybe (he really hoped, in his wildest dreams) curl against her like a great cat?

He hadn't realized that he was leaning toward Hermione until he felt her small hand thread into his hair and guide him forward toward her, leaning his head onto her shoulder. He leaned over her, his head resting on her shoulder, has hands braced at her sides, and the rest of him hovering over her until she placed a kiss on his brow. He flopped down half over her, making her give a surprised "_oof!" _at his added weight, and snuggled against her as she pulled the comforter back over the both of them.

"Goodnight, Draco." Hermione murmured as she smoothed his hair away from his cheek.

"Goodnight,…_sigh Hermione_." Draco croaked back. Hermione rested her cheek against the top of his head, and continued to stroke his hair as she read. Draco was on the verge of sleep when a thought and emotion forced him back to consciousness for a final utterance. "Hermione?"

"Yes, Draco?"

Draco buried his face against her neck. "….I'mhopelesslyinlovewithyoujustsoyouknow."

Draco felt Hermione smile against his cheek.

"I know. Goodnight, my dearest Draco."

"…Goodnight, love." With another kiss to his brow and a whispered "_I love you, too_," Hermione sent Draco off gently into the land of dreams.

This was, without a doubt, turning out to be Draco's best Christmas to date.

-------

AN. So, yeah. : ) I hope you all enjoyed that! I'd been having a writer's block for the longest time, and then I realized that I just needed to write about Draco and Hermione for a bit. (Draco was driving me nuts with his letters that talked about nothing but "Hermione this and Hermione that… oh, yeah! And those other people in my life… Hermione, Hermione, Hermione" ad nauseum. That boy really knows how to annoy people.) ; ) Anyway, thank you to everyone that waited patiently for this. MANY MANY KISSES AND HUGS!!! Ok, so I have a little challenge for my artists out there. Can I have some fan art for this fic? I LOVE FAN ART!! If you post some, send me a message so I can see it! I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER! (Not that I don't, already. : ) ) I'm on deviant art (not as an artist, though.) So just give me a head's up…anywhere you post! Ok, I'll stop pleading for now. : ) And as always, please review…ok, maybe a little pleading. Muah!

Thanks to my Beta!


	16. Severus, King of the World

Chapter 16: Severus, King of the World….Or How Severus Conquered the Library

"I've got it!!" Severus shouted, shooting up from his chair.

Lucius flew out of his chair and onto the floor in a fantastic "duck and cover" maneuver, while Harry jumped and spun with wand raised. After realizing that the "threat" was just their over enthused mate they resumed their previous sitting positions, surreptitiously looking around to see if anyone had seen their minor spaz attacks.

'That didn't happen.'…shift.

"Got what, Severus?" Lucius asked, clearing his throat and trying to cover his mugglish reaction.

"This!" Severus stressed, waving his book and looking at Lucius like it was obvious what he had. Seeing his mates' blank stares, Severus sighed and realized that he'd actually have to _explain_ what he had in his hand. 'As if it isn't _obvious_ what we've been searching for!' "I've found a way to destroy a horcruxe, of course!"

"That's GREAT, Severus!" Harry exclaimed as he and Lucius once again shot out of their seats.

"Let's hear it, then." Lucius said as he and Harry made their way to Severus' side. The two wrapped their arms around Severus' waist and rested their heads on his shoulders, being careful not to read over his shoulder as they waited for him to start reciting the passage.

"It lists here a potion that will 'Separate the soul from the object, therefore destroying the section of the soul.'" Severus turned his head to Harry.

"You see, when a person creates a horcruxe they have to count on leaving that part of the soul there forever. To take the soul out again and reattach it to the main source is a long and daunting process. There is always the chance that the soul will not mold back together again, and the person will die. Each soul portion sustains the others, it's true, but they now serve as separate entities and are hard to reform into a single piece again.

"Though, this doesn't mean that if we kill the portion currently in Voldemort, that he will come back as a torch or a necklace. It's like broken glass that you try to put back together. There will always be cracks were it broke. The soul will never really be whole again until the person dies and all of the pieces are destroyed." Severus then turned to Lucius. "This book gives us the directions for making the potion and destroying the horcruxes. Once we make it and the horcruxes are destroyed, Harry only needs to kill Voldemort, and we'll be rid of him for good."

"No pressure," Harry grumbled sarcastically into Severus' shoulder. Severus smirked and turned to kiss the top of Harry's head.

"Harry, after the soul pieces are destroyed, anything you use will kill Voldemort. Even a muggle gun would work." Severus murmured into Harry's hair.

"No. I want to use magic. I want to know that it's over, once and for all." Lucius and Severus turned the embrace's focus to Harry, pulling the younger man into their arms and sandwiching him against their chests. Harry closed his eyes, letting out a long sigh that took a good deal of his tension away. His mates stroked his hair and shoulders, and whispered gentle words of encouragement and love into his ears. Lucius nuzzled against his cheek, and Harry pulled the blonde closer to him. "I would be able to do it with just the knowledge of what he did to you, Lucius. The fact that he's also stolen others from my life just adds to my wish for his downfall…I just hate that I'll have to kill for this. It doesn't sit well with me at all."

"Then, for once, let's not talk about it." Severus stated. "I'll start this potion right now, and tonight we'll destroy the first horcruxe to make sure it works. Ok?"

"Ok," His mates agreed.

-------

It had taken five hours for Severus and Lucius to brew the potion. Harry had moved to their bedroom during that time, a book on souls in hand. Though he did want Voldemort gone, he couldn't reconcile the fact that he would be destroying a soul as well as killing an evil man. Granted, Voldemort needed to be removed from the picture, but Harry was a firm believer that no soul was inherently bad.

Sirius, for example, was an amazing man, but the years in Azkaban had driven him slightly mad, and had given him the will to kill another man for revenge. Granted, Wormtail had landed Sirius in Azkaban and killed Harry's parents, but Sirius took it too far when he became willing to involve young Harry and his friends. Harry would never regret his involvement, but it wasn't lost on him that that night could have ended very differently if Remus and Severus hadn't shown up.

Harry stretched out on the enlarged bed. He and his mates had left their "sanctuary" as Severus had made it, but had taken to opening the curtains during the day. The vast expanse was perfect for sprawling out with a good book, or cuddling up with two other people who happened to like sprawling across each other.

Harry spent the five hours reading about the true nature of souls. He realized that when Severus had said "destroy" the soul, he had really meant killing it in this life. Yes, here the soul pieces were just shards, but once all of the pieces were "destroyed" in this life, and the body was killed, the soul would mold back together.

'Removed,' Harry thought to himself, 'is probably the better term.'

He sighed. So he wouldn't destroy a soul completely, he would instead send it to that 'great beyond'. Harry hoped that even Voldemort would find peace…or at least finally shut up about taking over anything he laid his eyes on. Whatever the fate of Voldemort's soul, Harry just felt better that he would only be killing the snake-faced Dark Lord, not totally demolishing him. Even if he did hate the "man", if Voldemort could be called that anymore…hmm.

A soft knock at the door caused Harry to give a noncommittal grunt. He knew that whomever it was, they would probably start talking soon, and so Harry continued on reading. When he felt someone slide onto the mattress and start gliding his way, he sneaked a glance out the corner of his eye. Just as he had suspected, Lucius was smoothing his way toward him, the blonde's body swaying a bit from side to side as he shifted his weight with each move forward.

'Ever the cat,' Harry thought amusedly to himself. Lucius came to a halt next to him and leaned forward, but stayed on all fours. There was a pause where the two mates just looked at each other, Harry waiting for Lucius to speak and Lucius contemplating what thought he wanted to voice.

"Severus and I have finished the potion. We're ready to test it." Harry blinked. Lucius blinked. "The potion will keep for only an hour…what do you want to do?"

"Will Voldemort sense that a piece of him is being removed?"

"Removed?" Lucius repeated. Harry summed up his findings and explained his reasoning for replacing 'destroyed' with 'removed'. Lucius nodded, agreeing with the change in terminology. "He may."

"So really, the sooner we gather the troops and destroy all the horcruxes, the sooner we can get the final battle over with?"

"…yeeesss….What are you thinking Harry?"

Harry pulled Lucius into a slow and gentle kiss, tasting Lucius' confusion on his tongue. He pulled back to meet Lucius' bewildered expression.

"How would you feel about a Voldemort-free Christmas?"

Lucius froze.

"SEVERUS!"

-------

AN: HA! Ok, so I don't really like cliff hangers….BUT I thought it fit right here. I won't say this is drawing to a close in ANY way, but we are about to see some really big action…and I'm not just talking Harry/Lucius/Severus action, oh no. I'm talking "Get your wands ready kids! We're gonna see some fireworks!" Anyway, please review… And I'm still looking for artists for this fic. I'm on deviant art, so if you know anyone there that would like to do a pic for this fic, or you want to do one yourself… contact me! J Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review! Muah!


	17. Of Potions and Passions

Chapter 17: Of Potions and Passions

Severus flew up the stairs at Lucius' call, expecting to find something ghastly and gruesome in their bedroom, only to be met by an odd smile from Harry and a dumbfounded look from Lucius. He paused to catch his breath, fully intending to ream Lucius for giving him such a fright, but caught it again when he was able to really take in the situation. Something had passed between his two mates between the time Lucius had left his side and the moment he now stood in.

Lucius was paused, mid-crawl…correction, mid-stalk, half of him turned toward the door and the other half facing Harry. From the man's frozen state, Severus could tell that whatever Harry had said or done, it had NOT in anyway been what Lucius had had in mind when the blonde had first entered the room.

"What could possibly be so dire that you'd have to scream my name?" Severus drawled as if he hadn't just thought the house under attack. He realized his 'wording faux pas' when Harry snorted and hid a grin behind his hands. "Obviously nothing too horrid or _Mr. Potter_ wouldn't be giggling like a school girl."

The scandalized look on Harry's face was enough to smooth over his slight indignation for being caught accidentally making an innuendo without his knowledge.

'Outrageous little brat.' Severus thought snidely, though affectionately.

"Harry wants a Voldemort-free Christmas." Lucius stated in a daze.

Severus almost choked on the air passing through his lungs.

"What?! Harry, that's a great dream, but there's so much to do before we decide to just charge in and start whacking away!"

"I know that, but now that we have the potion…"

"THE POTION!" Severus had forgotten it in the rush up the stairs. "We need to use it as soon as possible…Harry, we'll talk about this _after_ we know if the potion even works, ok?"

Harry blinked once…twice… and then quietly shifted off of the bed, walked past Severus in the doorway, and silently headed down the hall toward the stairs. Lucius and Severus shared a confused look, and then turned their attention to the open door. What had just happened?

"Well, are you coming?" Harry called, almost too calmly, from the top step. Severus and Lucius winced.

Harry was angry, so angry that the anger was silent when contained. Lucius got up and moved out of the room and down the hall to Harry, Severus following behind him. The two paused a few feet from Harry.

"Wha..?"

"DON'T! Just don't." Harry snapped, and Lucius fell silent. Harry stepped to the side and gestured down the stairs with his right arm. "Just go."

Even Severus knew better than to argue.

Lucius hung his head and Severus cringed as they made their way past Harry and down the stairs. Just before Lucius stepped onto the landing between flights Harry sighed, and called out for the two to stop. They turned, and Harry made his way between them.

Taking one of their hands in each of his own, Harry sighed again before addressing his loves.

"Look, I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so cross, but I just want to fix what he's done to you both. I also want to make sure it _never_ happens again." Harry gazed intensely as he stated the last bit of his mini-speech.

It was Severus' turn to sigh.

"We understand that, but we really need to plan these things instead of just jumping in and hoping all goes well. We don't even know if the potion will work, and you still haven't shown us the seventh horcrux. The book states that some objects just _cannot_ be put in without some sort of explosion occurring." Severus moved closer to Harry and slipped and arm around his waist. "We WILL win, and who knows? Maybe we will be ready before Christmas. But let's just start with this one horcrux and this one potion. Even if it only destroys this one piece of Voldemort, that's still enough to make my Christmas a happy one."

Severus actually smiled then, and Harry and Lucius were so dazzled by it that they could do nothing but return it with one of their own.

Lucius could feel his hands shaking as he watched Harry carry the horcrux, wrapped in a cloth, over to the caldron. Everyone living in Grimmauld Place could feel the tension and hope in the room. Would this actually work? There was only one way to find out.

As Harry held the horcrux over the potion, ready to drop it in, Severus moved behind him and placed his hands on the young man's hips. At Harry's questioning glance Severus said:

"If it reacts badly, I'll be pulling you away."

Everyone knew that Harry's reflexes were nothing to scoff at, but the young mate allowed it anyway. With a nod to Severus, and a small smile to Lucius, Harry reached over the potion…and let go.

Seconds passed.

And then…

BANG!

-----

AN: I'M BAAAACK!!!

I know, I know. You're all yelling at the screen now going: "WHAT THE CRAP!?", but I felt that I had to leave something to make you want to keep reading.

I'm really sorry to those of you who've waited so long for this chapter, and I'm sorry that it's so short. I've been REALLY busy, and school just started again at the end of last month. (College…You know how it is.) My Rep. Theatre had a successful season, and now I'm in yet another show…which happens to open this week! AHHH! I really do hope to have something else up soon! I promise not to make you wait so long next time!

Thanks to everyone who stuck with me! And to those of you who are new, WELCOME!


	18. Adiemus

Chapter 18: Adiemus

Light exploded into Lucius's line of sight. The Horcrux blasted up above the caldron, and began spinning rapidly in midair. Everything else in the room was cast into darkness as great beams of multicolored light shot out from the horcrux in all directions.

'Souls!' Lucius thought with a start. Those multicolored lights were souls casting away from the horcrux at a rapid speed. 'No, not souls… sections of souls!'

It seemed that Voldemort had taken a piece of every person he had murdered before making the horcrux, and had sealed the small piece with the section of his soul in order to help anchor his own more securely to the horcrux.

'How horrible! ... And how beautiful those souls are,' Lucius vaguely thought.

Dazzled, Lucius watched as the souls of Voldemort's victims gathered into a mass and began pulling at a dark stain in the middle of the light. The dark stain twisted in their grasp, and Lucius realized that the stain was not a stain at all, but the only evil soul in the horcrux…Voldemort's soul fragment. The bright souls pulled with ferocity and in the next moment they had pulled the soul out and cast it into the potion, where it shrieked for a split second before ceasing to exist.

The remaining souls then danced or floated away from the now empty horcrux. They passed through the walls, the ceiling, and through the windows. One soul that Lucius was sure he recognized as Serius Black's only sibling took hold of the horcrux and smashed it in his unearthly grip with a gleeful grin, before winking directly at Lucius and zooming after a pretty muggle dancer that happened to be leaping out of the window with perfect form.

As the room returned to the natural color of a parlor, with the midday sun streaming through the windows and the candles a glowing brightly to light the darker corners, remembered terror filled Lucius. There had been an explosion before that! He realized with growing panic that he was no longer sitting in the chair near the center couch, but up against the north wall of the room, a wall that had formerly been far behind him. He had been blasted out of his chair and into the wall within seconds.

'Harry! Severus!' Lucius thought as he jumped up from the floor, wincing at the soreness in his back from the terrible impact he must have had with the wall. 'Draco and the Grangers!'

He scanned the room from left to right, starting with the couch near the window. Something was stirring under the center window, and Lucius realized with great relief that the mass was his son and Hermione. Draco was draped over the witch, looking as if he had moved in front of her during the seconds before the explosion as a precautionary measure.

"Draco, Hermione." Lucius called softly. The two turned to him with confusion and obvious relief in their eyes.

"Are you okay?" Lucius could hear Draco whispering to Hermione. At her nod, Draco turned back to his father.

"We're fine. Are you okay?"

"I hope so." He would not know until he saw his mates. At that thought he swept the room at a faster rate, moving towards the caldron and wrecked furniture as he did so. He remembered that his mates had been right next to the caldron, but he refused to accept that they could be anything but alive. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were already standing back up and dusting each other off, sharing a brief and private conversation of mutual concern for each other before turning to their child and Draco, nodding to Lucius as their gazes swept past him.

The door that had been behind Severus and Harry was blasted off its hinges, falling flat into the hallway where Lucius could see a mess for shredded robes trailing over the flattened door's surface and out of the room.

"Severus!!" Lucius cried, flying to the door and looking frantically out into the hallway, "HARRY!"

Across the hallway lay a mass of limbs and fabric. Lucius gave a cry as he dashed across the hall to what he knew to be his mates, dropping to his knees beside them. He called their names again beseechingly, tears already streaming down his face as he made a frantic effort to find their faces in the mass.

The lump groaned in two different pitches, and hands reached up to Lucius, who gave a cry of unbelieving joy and grabbed a hold. The two mates on the ground slowly separated, with Lucius constantly fussing them to 'lie still!', and sat up to inquire as to what exactly had taken place.

HPLMSSHPLMSSHPLMSS

I'm BAAAACK! Sorry it toook me soooo rediculously long to post this chapter... and that it's so short. I've been really, really busy, and for the last semester I've been out of the country! I kicked myself over and over for not transferring this chapter to this computer before I left...and I'm really sorry about that! Hope you all enjoyed it! Don't forget to review. I'll have the next chapter up within the next month. I promise!


	19. One Step Closer

One Step Closer

A.K.A. Don't kill the author for this title if you know the reference. XD

"No!"

"Lucius, it must be done!"

"NO!"

"Lucius, I know you don't like it but.."

"_NO!"_

"Lucius!"

"I won't! I _can't_! I won't let you, simply NO!" Lucius stormed from their bedroom where the three mates were currently fighting.

"Lucius, you're being irrational!" Severus snarled as Lucius tried to storm out of the door.

Lucius turned, eyes blazing and magic snapping. There had been very few times in his life that Lucius had been this angry, and each of those times his anger had been justified. This instance was no different, and how _dare_ his mates not see that. Glaring through the tears that he refused to let fall, Lucius dropped his voice to an intense, growling whisper.

"Irrational. IRRATIONAL! I'll show you 'irrational'." And with that, Lucius slammed the door behind him, and stormed away down the hall.

Harry slumped back onto the bed, and stared up at their canopy.

"He's just so…childish!" Severus snarled as he stalked over to sit by Harry. "Why can't he just listen to reason!? He was never like this in school. It's almost as if he's become overemotional since gaining us as mates. I don't care _what_ that brat's problem is, but he needs cut it out or I _swear_ I won't touch him for a _YEAR!_"

Harry winced in sympathy for the absent Lucius. Even though he agreed with Severus on his points during their argument, threatening to not touch Lucius for a year was a bit much.

On the other hand, Harry really didn't feel like loving up on Lucius any time soon, either.

The first potion had been a success. Granted, the explosion had been a bit…disconcerting, but the end result had more than justified the means. With one success under their belt, harry had had no problem talking to Severus and swaying him toward the idea of a Voldemort-free Christmas. Truth be told, it wasn't just their success that had swayed Severus to agree.

Though Severus and Lucius had been holed up in Grimmauld Place for the better part of the semester, they were not deaf to the outside world. The older order members still gathered in the kitchen with news of the war. Mr. Weasley was rarely seen without a Daily Prophet in his hand, and Harry was adamantly against hiding any news from his mates.

After the abduction of Severus and Lucius, the ministry had been forced to acknowledge Voldemort's return, but little good it did them. Though Voldemort hadn't gotten his hands on the ministry yet, it was obvious that his followers were calling a good deal of the shots in court these days. Witches and Wizards with familial muggle ties, whether through marriage or birth, were facing harder sentences for smaller offences.

There was even talk of muggleborns being called in for 'magical registration'. Muggleborns would have to prove that their magic was their own and register with the ministry. Those muggleborns who couldn't prove that their magic was their own would have their wands taken, and be put in holding cells until they had to face a trail for "stealing magic". Though this was still just talk, everyone at Grimmauld Place knew that this was a very real possibly for the near future, and that a move like this from the ministry would really only stand as a cover for removing power and targeting muggleborns.

Though the mutual fear was unspoken, everyone's eyes strayed to Hermione more often after the rumor had begun taking a stronger hold in the wizarding community. Draco very rarely left Hermione's side these days. He was terrified of what would happen to such a brilliant witch if death eaters ever got their hands on her. Though he had never really seen what the death eaters were capable of up close, he had heard stories from his father's 'acquaintances', and he _had_ seen Voldemort and his wandering eyes. He shuddered to think what would happen if Voldemort ever came in contact with such a pretty, smart, and _muggleborn _young witch.

"Severus."

"Harry."

"I'm glad we know each other's names," Harry smiled as Severus' lips quirked upward for a second, his eyes flitting to the side and catching Harry's gaze. "Maybe we're going about this all wrong."

"'This' as in 'the potion'? 'This' is in 'the Order's approach to…'"

"'This' as in '_our_ approach to Lucius'. Though I will agree that his reaction to your suggestion for the creation of another potion seems extreme, we never did really give him a chance to explain _why_ his vocabulary was reduced to 'no!'. Maybe we need to let him have his say."

Severus took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He lay back and wrapped his arms around Harry, pulling the smaller mate to his side and burying his nose in the unruly hair. For a few moments they just breathed. Then he kissed the crown of Harry's head. "alright, let's go find our tiger."

Harry smiled and nodded.

-----

Lucius was fuming.

How _dare_ they call him irrational! Were they the ones to wake up first after an explosion not ten feet from them? Were they the ones to having to search for their son among the scattered furniture of what used to be a nice sitting room? Where they the ones who were convinced that their mates might be de…

Lucius couldn't even finish the thought. Just the mere memory of his two beautiful mates lying prone on top of that broken door was enough to make his blood run cold. No, he was not being irrational. He understood the importance of destroying the horcruxes, but the physical danger that each destruction posed was bone-rattling. What if the explosion was bigger next time? What if they _didn't_ come out as relatively unscathed as they did today?

What if?

But then Lucius had to remember the other major threat in their lives, and the reason for their argument in the first place. _Voldemort._ That madman's power was gaining by the day, and soon even the Ministry of Magic would be under the control of a half-revived corpse that happened be out for the blood of everyone near and dear to Lucius.

It all came down to one simple and horrible question:

What was the lesser of two evils?

Lucius' mind immediately supplied that, yes, Voldemort was definitely the greater of the two evils. He _was _the evil in Lucius' life. But… his heart hesitated, and again Lucius remembered his prone mates on the hallway floor. If they let Voldemort live he would surely kill them all, but what was the use of defeating him if Harry and Severus didn't survive one of the Horcrux blasts to see and celebrate the end of Voldemort with Lucius? He refused to live without them ever again.

_Damn_ Voldemort for _ever_ even dreaming of making a horcrux!

So, they could either wait for the man himself to destroy them, or they could destroy his soul and hope the the _blast_ didn't kill them in the process. What a horrible set of options. If Lucius had a time-turner he would go back in time and smother the wretched man in is cradle! But then that would make him a willing murderer, and may even prevent hi m from ever finding his mates. One can never know what might have been.

And so Lucius felt doomed to watch his mates die, one way or another. What sin had he committed in a past life to deserve this? But even that wasn't fair, for there were hundreds of people out there facing Voldemort's terror. It wasn't simply about Lucius and what he may or may have not done. Suddenly Lucius felt incredibly small.

"Lucius," Came a call from the entrance to the library where Lucius had retreated to. He turned his back fully to the door, refusing to talk to Harry if the youth had come simply to scold him.

"Yes, Harry?" He murmured tiredly. He listened as gentle footsteps crossed the room, and a weight settled on the bay window seat beside him. Turning, he found Harry's eyes to be gentle and questing. The shadow from Severus, who still stood in the doorway, stretched halfway across the floor with the help of the hallway lantern and Lucius could just see it in his periphery.

"Lucius, why are you so against us destroying the other Horcruxes?"

"It is not that I am against their destruction, but of the explosion that happens immediately after. What is the point of destroying Voldemort if you get blown up before the end of the war?"

"Lucius, this isn't about us. This is about the whole wizarding world…"

"Oh, don't play 'martyr' to me!" Lucius exclaimed, rising swiftly from his seat and crossing to stand between his mates. "Damn the wizarding world if I can't have you! I've spent my whole _life_ waiting for you, and I'd be a fool to just let you waltz right back out of it!

Harry," Lucius pleaded, dropping back down in front of his green-eyed mate. "Harry, don't you understand that I'd die without you? Don't you understand that you _kill me_ when you suggest that blowing yourself up might just be the answer?"

Severus crossed to his mates and placed a hand on Lucius' shoulder. Harry's face became very grave, and Lucius felt a sudden chill down to the very core of his bones.

"Lucius," Harry began in a very somber voice. "there is something I think you should know…the reason that I can speak of this so 'lightly' as you put it."

Harry took a deep breath, and Lucius found himself holding his.

"Lucius…Blowing myself up might just _be _ the answer. .. You see, I _am_ a horcrux."

And Lucius' heart stopped.

-----

AN: I'm really sorry that this chapter has taken me so long to write. I finished my undergrad, but now I'm off to grad school...and packing is a nightmare! Why do I want to move halfway across the country, again? Oh yes, that's where my career is. Arg! Well, I do have some other stories in the making, and I'd strongly encourage you to go check them out on my profile! I apologize for any typos or grammatical errors. I'm trying to get a lot of things done in a very short amount of time.

Please, as always, read and review!

Cheerio!


	20. AN AGAIN! Hopefully the last for a while

Author's Note... Again:

Ok. Here is the deal. I'm posting this on all of my stories, as I've had a few PMs/Reviews with the same themes. So, if you're following more than one of my stories, you don't need to check every single one. I've decided to address these PMs/Reviews, all in one fell swoop.

Here are the reasons I've not updated in the last year:

After I posted the last AN, I was promptly whisked off to fill a rather coveted spot on a Masters program in the UK. Yes, I _had_ planned on updating shortly after my AN, but life got ahold of me before I could do so. Heads of Courses have a tendency of doing that.

2. This was an intensive one-year program. I was in from dawn till dusk, all year, and that doesn't count the hours I put in _outside_ of class. After dealing with all kinds of literature day and night, I didn't even want to _look _ at a computer, let alone write.

I've moved countries, twice. Across oceans. Sometimes, people just want to sleep for a week.

I had a _death_ in the family. It was unexpected, and it wasn't pretty. Cancer never is.

And lastly:

I've received a few rather abusive PMs/Reviews about what a horrible person I am that I've put my writing on hiatus to deal with my real life. Abusing me over the internet does _not_ encourage me to continue writing.

I apologize to those of you who've waited patiently for an update on whichever story/ies of mine that you happen to follow. I appreciate the nicer, kinder reviews/PMs that have noted the enjoyment of the stories, and the looking forward to a new chapter. I DO plan to update them. I enjoy every one of my stories, and I do like writing when the mood strikes. I wrote _"Nate's Darling" _ after watching Leverage non-stop for a weekend as a MASSIVE form of stress release. I didn't watch the show with thoughts of a story. I just needed to get away from the Masters for a few hours before I went nuts. And also to avoid someone who was_ driving_ me nuts. TV on? Don't talk. Great avoidance technique. Thankfully, I no longer live with that person.

I can't say when I'll update, as any plans I make to update usually get shot out of the sky by real life.

On a lighter note, I've finished the Masters, and have a bit of spare time at the moment. I _may update_, soon. I do not, and never have, promised anything but a story. Not when, not how.

Here is how I see these stories getting updated:

"_In the Dark..."_ and "_To the Edge..."_ are at the top of my list, as I'm not happy where they're sitting, right now.

"_Nate's Darling" _comes in a close 3rd, as I know what the next few chapters will be, anyway. This might end up being No. 1, as I already have a chapter half finished.

"_I will Always..." _and "_Redemption:..." _will have to wait until I've nailed an update to the top three.

"_Gai gets the Guy" _will stay on hiatus until I find the time and will to update. Again, I don't know when that will be.

I'm sorry if you are one of my loyal readers who just happened to be caught in this. I do love my kind reviewers. I even look forward to them, and do my best to reply to each one personally.

If you're planning on ranting at me about how I haven't updated fast enough, save it. What did you do for New Years? Bury a family member? I didn't think so.

(Disclaimer: If anyone had to join me in that last one, you have my condolences. I can honestly say I know how awful it is. I've buried three family members so far over the Holiday season. It sucks.)

So, keep your eyes peeled, and someday you will see an actual update.

Dragonkittin


	21. Fate is Known

Chapter: Fate is Known

There was a ringing in his ears, and yet the room was so silent he could have been sitting in a vacuum. It was as if a magic blast had gone off next to his head. His eyes watered, and a bought of nausea made him sway in his seat. He couldn't hear, couldn't feel, couldn't comprehend his surroundings beyond his own disorientation. He swallowed reflexively a few times, casting his gaze to his lap in slight panic and blinking rapidly to clear his vision. Slowly, the sound of his own harsh breathing, whooshing in and out through his parted lips made itself known. He drew his lips back, trying to get more air, though his jaw seemed locked halfway between the gritting of teeth and open gape.

He forced his mouth closed, and swallowed again.

"I'm sorry," He mumbled lowly, drawing his eyes back up to Harry's as the feel of the younger wizard's hands in his own came back to him. "What did you say?"

It dawned on him that Harry looked ever so sorry, with eyes that seemed endless in their grief.

"Lucius," Harry murmured gently. "I'm so sorry."

"No," Lucius shook his head, trying to clear it. "I don't know what you said... What were you saying?"

Suddenly, Severus was crouching and taking both Lucius' and Harry's upper arms and a firm grip. When had Severus been there?

"Harry," Severus murmured, as softly as Harry had said Lucius' name, but with a bit of urgency that seemed to match an intensity in his black eyes. Lucius looked at him in bewilderment.

"Severus?" He cocked his head to the side, trying to suss what would be causing Severus such distress. Severus turned his gaze to the blond wizard, his eyes becoming hard with a truth...

What truth?

The blood began to rush in Lucius' ears, his skin heating as he matched Severus' gaze. His hands began to tingle, and he suddenly felt like he was drowning. His eyes darted between the two dark haired wizards as they gazed at him in apology and grief.

As if a switch had been flipped, Lucius yanked his hands out of Harry's grasp and pushed the younger man way. A cry wrenched from his mouth as he jumped up and propelled himself away from his mates. He slapped a hand over his mouth as tears burst from his eyes, shaking his head in disbelief.

"No," He cried, stumbling back towards the door, groping for the handle as his back slammed into the frame. He pressed his hand to his mouth with all his strength, cutting his lower lip as the sobs that refused to be muffled broke through. "No!"

Taking his hand from his mouth to point at Severus, he moaned. "You _knew. _You _knew!_ You've known all along, haven't you?!

And _YOU!" _He snarled, pointing at Harry. "You've known even longer, haven't you!? You've touched and held me, and all the while _he's _been there! You held me in your arms, and all the while never even thought to tell me that just _maybe_ you might DIE-"

"There was always a big chance I was going to die-"

"NOT like this, there wasn't! Not in _my_ mind! It was never a _certainty!"_

"And it is now?!" Harry yelled back, finally reaching the end of his tether as he jumped to his feet.

"Did you _see_ the explosion in there, Harry?" Lucius asked, dropping his voice to a more normal level, though his words were no less intense. "Did you _see _ what happened to the horcrux to make it so flat? Did you!?"

Harry glared before gritting out. "Of course I did-"

"No, Harry. No, you didn't. You spent those few minutes lying under pieces of a _door_ with the other part of _my life_ lying next to you like you were a couple of _corpses! _People came out of it! Souls, Harry! _Souls_ came out of that tiny little locket, and Regulus Black's _soul_ CRUSHED the locket in his hands like _paper!_ They ripped what part of Tom Riddle's soul was in there out and into the cauldron and then floated off like they were on holiday!"

"Lucius-"

"No, Severus.

Harry, I think you need to understand something about soul bonds. And, I'm not talking about horcruxes and whatever spells a Dark Lord thinks will tie their followers to them. _Real _soul bonds; the kind we were born with. The kind _I _was born with. Harry, they're so much stronger than you know, and so much frailer than I think you realize. Do you know what happens to bond mates when one mate dies?"

"Lucius-"

"Let him answer, Severus! Harry?"

"... No."

"No. I thought not. Harry, when a mate of a pair or a triad dies, the other mates aren't far behind."

"What are you saying?"

Lucius fought to keep himself from shouting.

"I'm saying that if this potion kills you in the process of ripping out Voldemort's soul, I'll die...

And, so will Severus."

Harry and Lucius stared at each other, one in shock and the other in pleading desperation. The silence was deafening.

Severus finally cleared his throat. "That's not exactly true."

Both mates turned to look at their third wizard.

"Of course it is!" "What do you mean?"

Severus sighed, all of the fight going out of him. He suddenly seemed to be somehow less than he was, before. "That's only true for fully mated bonds. We aren't yet fully mated. Without a full bond we may survive if something were to happen to Harry -"

"And, you're just fine with that!?"

"No!" Severus snarled, pinning Lucius with a glare. "Do not pretend to think I wouldn't grieve for Harry! You know better."

"But you would 'go on living' -"

"I would do what I must!"

"Then,_ I _must die - !"

"ENOUGH!"

"Harry, I'm the center of the bond. With or without a full bond, I die -"

"I said 'enough', Lucius. Be still." Harry growled. Lucius' eyes cast a wounded look at his youngest mate. Harry held firm.

"Now. Just nod, yes or no. Our bond isn't fully consummated, yes?"

Two nods, one firm, one hesitant.

"_If_ I were to die, neither of you would follow?"

One nod, one shake.

"Explain, Severus."

Severus became sheepish. "I wouldn't die. Lucius is right, I'm not the center of the bond..."

"But, Lucius would?"

Severus hesitated, "... There may be a potion..."

"No," Lucius cut in, defeated. "There's been research for centuries on how to save a center mate. It's never worked. You die, I die. Once my heart and soul accepts you as a mate, there's no turning back."

Harry steeled himself, drawing to full height and nodding gravely. "Severus, this potion separates the soul from the object?"

"Yes, Harry." His voice was gentle, his eyes sorrowful. He almost wished he'd just let Lucius tell the tale of mates, but his belief in the fight against Voldemort, and his love for the truth stopped him from withholding the fact that not all mates could die from the loss of one another.

"But, I'm not an object-"

"No, you're a _person!"_ Lucius cut in. "With _your own _soul! Who's to say that Voldemort's soul would be the one separated from your body, and not your own! What happens if _your _soul gets separated, and _he's_ able to hold on?!

Harry," Lucius pleaded. "I couldn't bear seeing his soul in your eyes; his expressions on your face. I couldn't bear it."

"Then, if that were to happen, you'd have to destroy my body with him in it -"

"No-"

"AND THEN you'd continue on! Lucius, think of Draco. Think of Severus."

Lucius crumbled where he stood, tears streaming as he clutched his hair, gasping for breath.

"I will take the potion," Harry murmured over Lucius' quiet weeping. "I will fight Voldemort with everything I have. And IF I die, or he takes my body, you will _kill _him, and you will _take _ a potion to save you as center mate, and you _will live_. For Draco. For Severus. _For me._ You will live on _for me._ I command you, as a dominant mate, to live."

There were a few beats of silence as Lucius trembled and Severus watched on, his face stone, but his eyes sorrowful as he gazed at his mates.

"...Do you understand, Lucius?"

Lucius started to shake his head.

"Do not refuse me, lover."

Lucius hiccuped once, and then raising his eyes to match his Harry's, he nodded.

"I understand." Lucius whispered, dropping his eyes to the floor.

"Then, we are agreed. Severus, let's brew the next potion for the next horcrux. We should destroy all of Voldemort's objects, first. Lucius -"

"Leave me be," Lucius deadpanned, turning to stare at the far wall away from his mates."

Both dominant mates paused in the doorway. Severus dropped his head for a moment, before taking a breath, shaking his head as he lifted his chin, and moving out of the room. Harry would never mention it, but he could see the tears held back in those onyx eyes as Severus swept past. Lucius wasn't the only one who stood to lose a mate. Severus could very well lose _both _of his mates. But, Harry knew that his dark beauty would put his duty to justice and the wizarding world above his personal wants. Harry was counting on it.

"As you wish," He murmured to Lucius as he followed Severus out.

He _wished_ that there was something he could do that didn't involve dooming the two people he held most dear to death or despair. Not for the first time, he cursed Voldemort's name.

HPSSLMHPSSLMHPSSLM

AN: First, thanks to everyone who stuck with me. And, for the kind words sent through PM and review by my awesome followers. It seems that most of the flame reviewers have taken a hike. Cheers to that!

As always, I don't promise /when/ I'll update, again. But, I do promise that /someday/ there will be an update. My life is busy and crazy, and sometimes heartbreaking. I hope you enjoyed this chapter (in the reading of it, though you're probably heartbroken about it. ;) )

This was a really hard chapter to get through because of life, AND because of poor Lucius. :(

As always, R&R!


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